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Karma for Beginners
14-year old Tessa navigates adolescence, first love, and her damaged relationship with her mother, while living live on a New Age ashram in upstate New York. A hugely compelling and highly original coming-of-age story from the author of Almost Home.
312 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 18, 2009
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
May 1, 2023
"I don't buy into this whole 'shelter children from reality' thing." - Tessa's mom
As aficionados of secondhand shops know, it's not uncommon to find books that start their life as hopeful, well-meaning gifts. This was one of those finds for me, and it's clear from what's inscribed in Sharpie on the first blank page that this copy was originally given by a teacher to her student, wishing said student "a great summer!" It's not very often that such a personalized note affects my reading of the book in any way, but this time it did because as events in the story got progressively weirder and creepier, I found myself regularly thinking about what kind of teacher would begift this particular novel to a student and what that student must've been like to begin with. The story's protagonist and first-person narrator is 14-year-old Tessa, whose mom is not just a prototypical hippie but also flakier than Grape Nuts. The mom (named Sarah but aka Guhahita Prapati) rips Tessa out of school and takes her to live in an ashram, which, as presented here, might be an Indian word for cult. Trouble ensues, primarily in the form of Tessa's sexual awakening with a 20-year-old male within a week of her turning 15, followed by his introducing her shortly thereafter to the world of drugs and mostly shitty rock songs from the 70s. The mom, meanwhile, caught up with being the guru's concubine, is totally oblivious and usually comes across as even less mature than her daughter, writing in her diary at one point, of Tessa: "I want to make her happy, but not at the expense of my own fulfillment, and it makes me so mad that she keeps making me have to choose." Sheesh. I like this book's title--it's what caught my eye and made me pick it up in that secondhand shop--but an equally appropriate one would be How Not To Parent 101. And I'm still wondering about that teacher, who thought this book would be a "great summer" type of gift for her student.
First lines:
"I had to fight for this hamburger. Twenty minutes: in the rest stop parking lot and the bathroom, by the pay phone while my mom called work to make sure they had the forwarding address for her last paycheck, and then the entire time in line, past the fried chicken and the biscuits and the french fries and the milk."
August 29, 2009
Please note that I have yet to proof-read this review.
There is an abundance of drugs (pot, LSD) and sex in this book so while it involves a 14 turned 15 girl, I would suggest being careful of who’s picking this up.
In the beginning I was quite reluctant and a bit turned off by the ways the characters explored sexuality (spoiler: your 20 some year old boyfriend’s creepy, really creepy, friends and an orange) but someone mentioned that it wasn’t set in the modern time so I let it slide to some extent. I never really delved into those times so I wasn’t exactly sure what is acceptable and what isn’t. Yeah it was odd but it would have been all the rage back then. Anyway moving on….
I thought Tessa was a fairly relatable character. Here she is in this crazy cult like home and the only thing remotely sane is Colin, not to mention he’s not too bad to look at. I understand her way of thinking, her decisions (well not all) and the feeling to just escape.
Colin was someone I found pleasing…at first. He was emphatic with Tessa—understanding her—and quick to give a hug when needed, and doesn’t try to force something. But he increasingly became this “I am man” attitude and developed this jealous presence that was neither sweet nor protective. He practically threw her away. But again we come back to the drugs. They were high, maybe disoriented. I’m not quite sure. I would have liked to see more of the aftermath. The beginning was great, good build-up, transactions from friends to something more but after the incident I just wonder what next.
The relationship between the mother and Tessa was a fragile give and take. It seemed that the mother was the one that needed more caring, more reassurance, more time and patience. We explore the affects of a young pregnancy when the mother has had barely any time to grow up herself. I think that was this relationship showed us.
One other thing that I liked to point out that Karma For Beginners had this sense similar to Candor. Where everyone just listens to this one main leader. Your expression to think, to explore, is an invalid now. Your opinion is condemned. Your self-judgment is considered acting out. This is where you walk along the lines of being a cult. But aside from Candor, this leader is really, really creepy
The ending however was very disappointing—very abrupt. It was a quick “what do you want” question from the mother with Tessa responding and acting on command. The climax of the ending lasted for a about a paragraph to which we turn to the next page—blank. It ended. I love the concept of the idea—the final letter, the speak and I will listen attitude—but it was too fast, too quick for me to truly appreciate it. Even so it was upsetting how quickly Tessa’s mother just accepted what she had to say. It really was way too short. This is when the ending just breaks the greatest of a novel.
Overall: Started out rocky, turn into something I enjoyed a lot, but ended so abrupt that I was left frustrated.
There is an abundance of drugs (pot, LSD) and sex in this book so while it involves a 14 turned 15 girl, I would suggest being careful of who’s picking this up.
In the beginning I was quite reluctant and a bit turned off by the ways the characters explored sexuality (spoiler: your 20 some year old boyfriend’s creepy, really creepy, friends and an orange) but someone mentioned that it wasn’t set in the modern time so I let it slide to some extent. I never really delved into those times so I wasn’t exactly sure what is acceptable and what isn’t. Yeah it was odd but it would have been all the rage back then. Anyway moving on….
I thought Tessa was a fairly relatable character. Here she is in this crazy cult like home and the only thing remotely sane is Colin, not to mention he’s not too bad to look at. I understand her way of thinking, her decisions (well not all) and the feeling to just escape.
Colin was someone I found pleasing…at first. He was emphatic with Tessa—understanding her—and quick to give a hug when needed, and doesn’t try to force something. But he increasingly became this “I am man” attitude and developed this jealous presence that was neither sweet nor protective. He practically threw her away. But again we come back to the drugs. They were high, maybe disoriented. I’m not quite sure. I would have liked to see more of the aftermath. The beginning was great, good build-up, transactions from friends to something more but after the incident I just wonder what next.
The relationship between the mother and Tessa was a fragile give and take. It seemed that the mother was the one that needed more caring, more reassurance, more time and patience. We explore the affects of a young pregnancy when the mother has had barely any time to grow up herself. I think that was this relationship showed us.
One other thing that I liked to point out that Karma For Beginners had this sense similar to Candor. Where everyone just listens to this one main leader. Your expression to think, to explore, is an invalid now. Your opinion is condemned. Your self-judgment is considered acting out. This is where you walk along the lines of being a cult. But aside from Candor, this leader is really, really creepy
The ending however was very disappointing—very abrupt. It was a quick “what do you want” question from the mother with Tessa responding and acting on command. The climax of the ending lasted for a about a paragraph to which we turn to the next page—blank. It ended. I love the concept of the idea—the final letter, the speak and I will listen attitude—but it was too fast, too quick for me to truly appreciate it. Even so it was upsetting how quickly Tessa’s mother just accepted what she had to say. It really was way too short. This is when the ending just breaks the greatest of a novel.
Overall: Started out rocky, turn into something I enjoyed a lot, but ended so abrupt that I was left frustrated.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 2, 2010
It has taken me a while to pick up Karma for Beginners, and I'm really not sure why. It has a pretty cover, an interesting premise and setting, and some great praise, so after some thought I decided to give it a chance.
So, here's the question: am I glad I did or not? Well, I certainly am because it was a empowering and enlightening book, that I flew right through easily; one read that I could see myself reading again someday, even though it wasn't an absolute favorite of mine.
Tessa was a character who I liked from the start, even though I didn't necessarily like all her choices. Because of Blank's excellent character development, Tessa's angst against the life her mother had chosen for her was spilled across the pages in a case were you understood her her pain, her confusion, her wanting of normalcy, someone who got her, and a father figure easily. Her relationship with Collin, the sexy older boy, was done well. And while it wasn't the wisest of choices on Tessa's part, it provided her with a lot of much needed direction and strength in her life. Though, I did not like how Blank never had any of the characters face the consequences of their actions. I also liked how Blank showed the situation of a child acting like the mother and the mother acting like a dependent of child because, by the end, I felt it gave a good example how to deal with the situation if you are in Tessa's place in the relationship.
One of my favorite parts of Karma for Beginners was the use of an ashram as the setting. I've never had the chance to read a novel with that type of setting before. Which is surprising ( Well, to me at least) because I feel the whole idea of people turning to a single, ordinary man for their guidance and decision making is simply fascinating. Further more, I liked how Blank used the setting to make the plot more believable and move it along.
I also enjoyed the main plot of the novel, because through Collin and Tessa's relationship it gave an overall message of why everyone should stand up for themselves and voice their opinions no matter what the situation.
My only real complaints about Karma for Beginners was that I feel the conversations between the characters felt more stilled rather than real, as well as the rushed ending and what I mentioned before about the consequences.
Overall, Karma for Beginners is a novel with an interesting setting and characters and plot events that set examples for teens, as well as provided fun reading material. I'm looking forward to reading more by Blank.
Grade: B-
So, here's the question: am I glad I did or not? Well, I certainly am because it was a empowering and enlightening book, that I flew right through easily; one read that I could see myself reading again someday, even though it wasn't an absolute favorite of mine.
Tessa was a character who I liked from the start, even though I didn't necessarily like all her choices. Because of Blank's excellent character development, Tessa's angst against the life her mother had chosen for her was spilled across the pages in a case were you understood her her pain, her confusion, her wanting of normalcy, someone who got her, and a father figure easily. Her relationship with Collin, the sexy older boy, was done well. And while it wasn't the wisest of choices on Tessa's part, it provided her with a lot of much needed direction and strength in her life. Though, I did not like how Blank never had any of the characters face the consequences of their actions. I also liked how Blank showed the situation of a child acting like the mother and the mother acting like a dependent of child because, by the end, I felt it gave a good example how to deal with the situation if you are in Tessa's place in the relationship.
One of my favorite parts of Karma for Beginners was the use of an ashram as the setting. I've never had the chance to read a novel with that type of setting before. Which is surprising ( Well, to me at least) because I feel the whole idea of people turning to a single, ordinary man for their guidance and decision making is simply fascinating. Further more, I liked how Blank used the setting to make the plot more believable and move it along.
I also enjoyed the main plot of the novel, because through Collin and Tessa's relationship it gave an overall message of why everyone should stand up for themselves and voice their opinions no matter what the situation.
My only real complaints about Karma for Beginners was that I feel the conversations between the characters felt more stilled rather than real, as well as the rushed ending and what I mentioned before about the consequences.
Overall, Karma for Beginners is a novel with an interesting setting and characters and plot events that set examples for teens, as well as provided fun reading material. I'm looking forward to reading more by Blank.
Grade: B-
July 26, 2021
I gotta hand it to Jessica Blank, she made this poor not-quite-15-year-old's life in the middle-of-nowhere, half-hippie-woo-woo/half-weird-cult estate seem so bland and bereft of activities or hope for change in the foreseeable future that I actually understood why hooking up with Colin, even after he turned out to be loser, was an appealing choice.
Let me underscore this: I, the super-prudish queen of never being bored and vehemently judging teens in small towns who make bad choices because they are, understood her lack of options to the point where I felt like I would have done the same in her shoes. Possibly even including the substance abuse. That's an impressive bit of writing.
Let me underscore this: I, the super-prudish queen of never being bored and vehemently judging teens in small towns who make bad choices because they are, understood her lack of options to the point where I felt like I would have done the same in her shoes. Possibly even including the substance abuse. That's an impressive bit of writing.
June 22, 2015
My initial reaction after reading was "eh", but since some time has passed, I've been able to expand on my reflections. This book is probably very uncomfortable for many readers as the daughter is 14 when the book begins. If she had been 16, it might be more acceptable, but the ending wouldn't have the same meaning. I'm tryingto be purposefully vague so there are no spoilers.
Inserted into this book, I could have been Tess. I would not have made all of the same choices, but a lot of them might have been me.
Having admitted that I find the book much more relatable than my first impression, do I alter the rating? I'll have to give that some thought. Maybe 3.5 stars.
Inserted into this book, I could have been Tess. I would not have made all of the same choices, but a lot of them might have been me.
Having admitted that I find the book much more relatable than my first impression, do I alter the rating? I'll have to give that some thought. Maybe 3.5 stars.
September 10, 2009
See my blog for active links!
http://bookreviewsbyjess.blogspot.com...
Plot: 3
Setting: 5
Writing: 3
Originality: 5
Characters: 5
Passion: 3
Overall: 24/30 = 80% = B
Cover/Title Bonus: 5
I received this for review from Disney-Hyperion.
Please note that this will be a long review. This book had some details that I want to focus on a bit. It also hit home on a few topics, so it’s a bit of a personal review too.
Summary (Amazon.com):
Fourteen-year-old Tessa has never had a normal life. Her mother, a frustrated hippie with awful taste in men, has seen to that. But when her mom pulls her out of school to live at an ashram in the Catskills, Tessa goes from being a freak among normal people to being an outcast among freaks. Freaks who worship an orange robe-wearing guru. And while her mom is buzzing with spiritual energy, and finding a little too much favor with the guru, all Tessa feels are weird vibes.
Unless she's with Colin, the gorgeous boy who fixes trucks for the ashram. The connection they share is the most spiritual thing Tessa has ever felt. But he's older-like illegally older-and Tessa's taking dangerous risks to spend time with him. Soon her life is blooming into a psychedelic web of secrets and lies and it's clear that something's about to give way. When it does, will she have anyone to hold on to? Will she even know herself?
Plot:
Tessa has a selfish mother who up and moves as often as possible, usually after a break up with a guy. They move to a “spiritual camp”, called an ashram. Her mom loves it there, nearly forgetting Tessa lives. Tessa meets a guy, Colin. He’s not from the ashram. He just fixes their vehicles. The ashram is a secret society of crazy people worshipping an orange robe-wearing guru, who is not what he seems (See: Overall section).
I enjoyed the plot to an extent. I liked learning about Tessa. I liked watching her transform into a woman. The ending of this book was not what I expected: it ended rather abruptly and not so well. (See: Overall section).
Setting:
The setting was awesome. The ashram was in the middle of no where in the Catskills. The buildings each had a weird name because ot he weird ashram language. There were awesome paths in the forests. Lots of statues. It’s set in 1986. There’s lots of music references. Lots of drugs (See: Overall section).
Writing:
I enjoyed the writing. I was addicted to reading this book. I knew that Colin and Tessa were going to be a thing and I wanted that to happen so bad. Tessa deserved some happiness in her life and I wanted that for her like I wanted to take my next breath. A lot more happens with Tessa than I expected. The drug use for one was like, wow. The sex was expected, but again, wow.
Originality:
I haven’t read any book like this. I usually read paranormals so I don’t usually rub up against something as “normal” as this book. It’s a contemporary Young Adult novel that focuses on a young woman, she’s 14!, who’s struggling with finding her way in the world with a mom who isn’t really there. The guru wasn’t expected, he’s not what he seems, but I hated the ending. I wanted justice and we get none. Only fear and running.
Characters:
Tessa is the main character. She’s 14! 14! She’s kind of a wild child by the end of this book: sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll. (Had to say it!)
Colin is the vehicle repair guy at the ashram. He’s in his twenties. TWENTIES! He’s a really sweet guy who loves music, cars, and drugs.
Tessa’s mom. She’s a basket case. I kinda hated her character. I felt so bad for Tessa. She barely had a mother. She was more of a mother than her mother was! Her mom is mentally ill. There’s just no other explanation to it.
The guru dude. He needs to be burnt in hell. That is all.
Other characters of the ashram: GO HOME! Seriously.
Passion:
Yes, the 14 year old and the twenty-something have sex. With that said, it’s a sweet romance. They do become great friends before the hanky panky happens. The age factor was an issue with me, but it happens, right?
Overall:
Okay, now for my rant. I liked the book until the very end. So, do read it if you get a chance, just be prepared to be let down by the ending.
Loved the ashram setting, characters, and the overall development of the story, until the end of course.
Drugs. Drugs are abundant in this book. Specifically marijuana and acid. I guess since I usually don’t read books like this I wasn’t prepared for how it affected me. She’s 14! Sometimes I forget that I was once 14 (it wasn’t that long ago but still!) but now that I have my own daughter I’m freaking out! She’s 14! Guess what? I was younger than 14 when I was introduced to drugs: pot. I used it under 10 times total in my life, and each time before I was 16. Drugs are available to young kids. It’s sad and it infuriates me but it’s the truth. The one thing I stress after reading this book. Don’t ignore the topic of drugs with your children.
Sex. There’s sex in this book. It’s not as visual as the drugs but it’s there. She’s 14! He’s twenty-something! Again I’m back to the reminder that I was once 14 but I have a child now! I lost my virginity at 14, just shortly after my birthday. So, I really don’t have room to criticize Tessa’s decision making skills. This also goes back to how lame of a mother Tessa had. If her mom was anything but what she was in this book she would have had a better relationship with Tessa and could possibly have prevented any of this from happening, but then I would be naive to say this. Even kids with the best parents in the world fuck up, lie, have sex and do drugs or even worse.
I’d like to think that I will be a better parent and be able to counsel my daughter better so that she doesn’t make the same mistakes that I made. Talking to our children about these two issues is essential. And I’m beginning to think the younger they are the better. I don’t want my 14 year old having sex and doing drugs with a twenty-something guy!
And now about the ending. CONTAINS SPOILERS!
They just leave! They leave everything behind. Colin, the ashram, the nasty guru who should have been arrested, convicted, and then burned, in my opinion, and the entire ashram should have been shut down. It was corrupted. And I blame it all on Tessa’s mother. I hated her.
Cover/Title Bonus:
Love the cover! It’s perfect. And the title is nice.
Connect with Jessica Blank:
Facebook
MySpace (Almost Home)
Goodreads
LibraryThing
Author Guest Post:
Jessica Blank will be visiting next week with an Author Guest Post. I sent her a few questions I had after reading Karma For Beginners. I hope she agrees to address them in her post.
There might even be a giveaway! So check back!
Your thoughts?
Have you read this? Did you enjoy it? How do you feel about drug use and sex in YA books? She’s 14!
http://bookreviewsbyjess.blogspot.com...
Plot: 3
Setting: 5
Writing: 3
Originality: 5
Characters: 5
Passion: 3
Overall: 24/30 = 80% = B
Cover/Title Bonus: 5
I received this for review from Disney-Hyperion.
Please note that this will be a long review. This book had some details that I want to focus on a bit. It also hit home on a few topics, so it’s a bit of a personal review too.
Summary (Amazon.com):
Fourteen-year-old Tessa has never had a normal life. Her mother, a frustrated hippie with awful taste in men, has seen to that. But when her mom pulls her out of school to live at an ashram in the Catskills, Tessa goes from being a freak among normal people to being an outcast among freaks. Freaks who worship an orange robe-wearing guru. And while her mom is buzzing with spiritual energy, and finding a little too much favor with the guru, all Tessa feels are weird vibes.
Unless she's with Colin, the gorgeous boy who fixes trucks for the ashram. The connection they share is the most spiritual thing Tessa has ever felt. But he's older-like illegally older-and Tessa's taking dangerous risks to spend time with him. Soon her life is blooming into a psychedelic web of secrets and lies and it's clear that something's about to give way. When it does, will she have anyone to hold on to? Will she even know herself?
Plot:
Tessa has a selfish mother who up and moves as often as possible, usually after a break up with a guy. They move to a “spiritual camp”, called an ashram. Her mom loves it there, nearly forgetting Tessa lives. Tessa meets a guy, Colin. He’s not from the ashram. He just fixes their vehicles. The ashram is a secret society of crazy people worshipping an orange robe-wearing guru, who is not what he seems (See: Overall section).
I enjoyed the plot to an extent. I liked learning about Tessa. I liked watching her transform into a woman. The ending of this book was not what I expected: it ended rather abruptly and not so well. (See: Overall section).
Setting:
The setting was awesome. The ashram was in the middle of no where in the Catskills. The buildings each had a weird name because ot he weird ashram language. There were awesome paths in the forests. Lots of statues. It’s set in 1986. There’s lots of music references. Lots of drugs (See: Overall section).
Writing:
I enjoyed the writing. I was addicted to reading this book. I knew that Colin and Tessa were going to be a thing and I wanted that to happen so bad. Tessa deserved some happiness in her life and I wanted that for her like I wanted to take my next breath. A lot more happens with Tessa than I expected. The drug use for one was like, wow. The sex was expected, but again, wow.
Originality:
I haven’t read any book like this. I usually read paranormals so I don’t usually rub up against something as “normal” as this book. It’s a contemporary Young Adult novel that focuses on a young woman, she’s 14!, who’s struggling with finding her way in the world with a mom who isn’t really there. The guru wasn’t expected, he’s not what he seems, but I hated the ending. I wanted justice and we get none. Only fear and running.
Characters:
Tessa is the main character. She’s 14! 14! She’s kind of a wild child by the end of this book: sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll. (Had to say it!)
Colin is the vehicle repair guy at the ashram. He’s in his twenties. TWENTIES! He’s a really sweet guy who loves music, cars, and drugs.
Tessa’s mom. She’s a basket case. I kinda hated her character. I felt so bad for Tessa. She barely had a mother. She was more of a mother than her mother was! Her mom is mentally ill. There’s just no other explanation to it.
The guru dude. He needs to be burnt in hell. That is all.
Other characters of the ashram: GO HOME! Seriously.
Passion:
Yes, the 14 year old and the twenty-something have sex. With that said, it’s a sweet romance. They do become great friends before the hanky panky happens. The age factor was an issue with me, but it happens, right?
Overall:
Okay, now for my rant. I liked the book until the very end. So, do read it if you get a chance, just be prepared to be let down by the ending.
Loved the ashram setting, characters, and the overall development of the story, until the end of course.
Drugs. Drugs are abundant in this book. Specifically marijuana and acid. I guess since I usually don’t read books like this I wasn’t prepared for how it affected me. She’s 14! Sometimes I forget that I was once 14 (it wasn’t that long ago but still!) but now that I have my own daughter I’m freaking out! She’s 14! Guess what? I was younger than 14 when I was introduced to drugs: pot. I used it under 10 times total in my life, and each time before I was 16. Drugs are available to young kids. It’s sad and it infuriates me but it’s the truth. The one thing I stress after reading this book. Don’t ignore the topic of drugs with your children.
Sex. There’s sex in this book. It’s not as visual as the drugs but it’s there. She’s 14! He’s twenty-something! Again I’m back to the reminder that I was once 14 but I have a child now! I lost my virginity at 14, just shortly after my birthday. So, I really don’t have room to criticize Tessa’s decision making skills. This also goes back to how lame of a mother Tessa had. If her mom was anything but what she was in this book she would have had a better relationship with Tessa and could possibly have prevented any of this from happening, but then I would be naive to say this. Even kids with the best parents in the world fuck up, lie, have sex and do drugs or even worse.
I’d like to think that I will be a better parent and be able to counsel my daughter better so that she doesn’t make the same mistakes that I made. Talking to our children about these two issues is essential. And I’m beginning to think the younger they are the better. I don’t want my 14 year old having sex and doing drugs with a twenty-something guy!
And now about the ending. CONTAINS SPOILERS!
They just leave! They leave everything behind. Colin, the ashram, the nasty guru who should have been arrested, convicted, and then burned, in my opinion, and the entire ashram should have been shut down. It was corrupted. And I blame it all on Tessa’s mother. I hated her.
Cover/Title Bonus:
Love the cover! It’s perfect. And the title is nice.
Connect with Jessica Blank:
MySpace (Almost Home)
Goodreads
LibraryThing
Author Guest Post:
Jessica Blank will be visiting next week with an Author Guest Post. I sent her a few questions I had after reading Karma For Beginners. I hope she agrees to address them in her post.
There might even be a giveaway! So check back!
Your thoughts?
Have you read this? Did you enjoy it? How do you feel about drug use and sex in YA books? She’s 14!
February 1, 2018
This book starts out very funny. There's a lot of satirical humor regarding the ashram lifestyle and I laughed out loud a couple of times. I would have preferred that Tessa stay on that vein - seeing an ashram from her objective and funny viewpoint.
Ultimately, though, this becomes a sad book about a 14 (turns 15) girl feeling lonely because her mother is self-absorbed and needy because she's been abandoned by her father. It stands to reason, Tessa would be willing to be with a 20-year-old guy and she'd go along with his illicit needs and activities to make him happy. For those reviewers thinking this might be too much information for a young reader, maybe young readers need to understand why their peers behave badly or self-destructively.
The ending was weak and rushed. It tied everything up like a sitcom or TV drama. Conflict over. That diminished the intensity of the rest of the book.
But still, it's funny and engaging.
Ultimately, though, this becomes a sad book about a 14 (turns 15) girl feeling lonely because her mother is self-absorbed and needy because she's been abandoned by her father. It stands to reason, Tessa would be willing to be with a 20-year-old guy and she'd go along with his illicit needs and activities to make him happy. For those reviewers thinking this might be too much information for a young reader, maybe young readers need to understand why their peers behave badly or self-destructively.
The ending was weak and rushed. It tied everything up like a sitcom or TV drama. Conflict over. That diminished the intensity of the rest of the book.
But still, it's funny and engaging.
September 28, 2017
Karma for beginners is an awesome book and I completely recommend it. The book focuses on the life of Tessa a fourteen year old who is facing trouble keeping up with her lies and secrets because she has a hippy mom that pays no attention to her and a boyfriend who is too old for her by law. This story teaches readers how sometimes, the only thing a child needs to get themselves together is the attention and the care of a mom. One thing i liked about this book is how her life is shown so realistically, going from a good girl, to a drug using bad teenager. However what i did not like as much was how the ending was sudden and almost too fake to happen in real life. All in all it was a great book and is worth reading.
February 25, 2019
Language – PG (20+ swears, 0 “f”), Sexual Content – PG-13; Violence – G
I closed the book for good at page 109. The story of Tessa was slow and without a point. I stopped because I didn’t like where the sexual content was going and nothing else was interesting enough to keep me reading.
Reviewed for https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/
I closed the book for good at page 109. The story of Tessa was slow and without a point. I stopped because I didn’t like where the sexual content was going and nothing else was interesting enough to keep me reading.
Reviewed for https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/
Read
September 28, 2017I like this book because the couple would have . Although i dislike that you could understand the book that well because it would be confusing in some parts. The central idea
February 14, 2018
Had to put the book down. Not remotely interesting.
January 8, 2019
i have been searching for this book! It really explores the mother and daughter relationship and shows major character growth
October 6, 2023
the illegal relationship has upset me
and the ending was not great
and the ending was not great
November 29, 2023
Abrupt ending, but otherwise a quick and enjoyable read.
August 18, 2009
Tessa is tired of always packing up and moving at the whim of her mother, but since she’s only 14, she doesn’t have much choice. This time around, her single, free-spirited hippie mom takes her to an ashram, where she doesn’t have to go to school, but does have to do seva (chores), and doesn’t know anyone. While her mom goes on a spiritual journey, Tessa falls for an older guy (he’s 20) and starts to sneak off with him when they’re done fixing buses. She’s tried to reach out to her dad, who’s in the hilariously named band Green Tea Experience, but he wants nothing to do with her. As her time with Colin gets more and more intense, she finds herself, paradoxically, more and more alone as she, and soon, her mom, are largely shunned at the ashram…save for the mysterious and, in Blank’s prose, decidedly creepy, guru.
Blank’s first YA novel, Almost Home, featured outstanding characterization and a gripping story. There are less characters here, but they are equally intriguing. Though we don’t get to know Tessa’s mom quite as well as we get to know her, her motives, her parenting, her idea that her life was cut short by getting pregnant so young, all inform the book. Blank excels at skewering the supposedly pure life on the ashram, from a questionable encounter Tessa has with the guru, to her being told that her outfits are too provocative and are “distracting” the adult men of the ashram. While Tessa is discovering the joy of first love, and exploration, with Colin, she also learns that she can get in over her head. Woven in are some lessons from the ashram that show that Tessa, and Blank, don’t entirely discount their spiritual teachings; when Tessa muses that, yes, you can choose to change your feelings, it’s a revelation to her, and a revelation, or perhaps, a reminder, to the reader. Blank has once again woven a powerful, gripping story that will appeal to most any teenage girl in a power struggle with her mother, or anyone who’s ever been in that position.
Blank’s first YA novel, Almost Home, featured outstanding characterization and a gripping story. There are less characters here, but they are equally intriguing. Though we don’t get to know Tessa’s mom quite as well as we get to know her, her motives, her parenting, her idea that her life was cut short by getting pregnant so young, all inform the book. Blank excels at skewering the supposedly pure life on the ashram, from a questionable encounter Tessa has with the guru, to her being told that her outfits are too provocative and are “distracting” the adult men of the ashram. While Tessa is discovering the joy of first love, and exploration, with Colin, she also learns that she can get in over her head. Woven in are some lessons from the ashram that show that Tessa, and Blank, don’t entirely discount their spiritual teachings; when Tessa muses that, yes, you can choose to change your feelings, it’s a revelation to her, and a revelation, or perhaps, a reminder, to the reader. Blank has once again woven a powerful, gripping story that will appeal to most any teenage girl in a power struggle with her mother, or anyone who’s ever been in that position.
March 26, 2010
This is a book of abandonment. It's a story that so many girls can identify with: Raised by a single mother with no father in the picture, seeking a father's love, the fear that everyone will abandon you as he did, and a selfish and emotionally-distant mother to boot.
Tessa's mother is totally self-absorbed. I know women like this. My best friend's mother was quite a bit like this. Her needs came first instead of that of her children. Tessa is always second-place in her mother's life (or third or fourth).
After she and her mother become residents of an isolated cult, Tessa feels more abandoned than ever as her mother thrives in the new community. Tessa turns to an older man for comfort and acceptance. Her new peer group of older men causes her to deal with situations that she is not prepared to deal with.
These situations were especially interesting to me, because they sort of start out thrilling and warm and cozy and enlightening, and Tessa thinks how wonderful these experiences are, but then reality sets in. She begins to lose herself and feels her life spiraling out of control. I think that most of us can identify with the feeling of hitting bottom...
I really liked this story. Warm and gentle, stirring memories of my childhood, with moments of heartbreak, I would recommend this "coming of age" story to anyone. Please be warned that, although this is young adult, there is quite a bit of vulgarity in it. So be wary if this offends you or if you are concerned with exposing your child to foul language and other "adult situations".
Tessa's mother is totally self-absorbed. I know women like this. My best friend's mother was quite a bit like this. Her needs came first instead of that of her children. Tessa is always second-place in her mother's life (or third or fourth).
After she and her mother become residents of an isolated cult, Tessa feels more abandoned than ever as her mother thrives in the new community. Tessa turns to an older man for comfort and acceptance. Her new peer group of older men causes her to deal with situations that she is not prepared to deal with.
These situations were especially interesting to me, because they sort of start out thrilling and warm and cozy and enlightening, and Tessa thinks how wonderful these experiences are, but then reality sets in. She begins to lose herself and feels her life spiraling out of control. I think that most of us can identify with the feeling of hitting bottom...
Just go home, I tell myself. Just sneak into your bed and close your eyes and crawl between the sheets. Alone and quiet I can piece myself together; the world will slow to steady and I'll find solid ground again.
I really liked this story. Warm and gentle, stirring memories of my childhood, with moments of heartbreak, I would recommend this "coming of age" story to anyone. Please be warned that, although this is young adult, there is quite a bit of vulgarity in it. So be wary if this offends you or if you are concerned with exposing your child to foul language and other "adult situations".
July 15, 2009
14-year-old Tess lives with her mom in....well that's kind of the problem. They move around A LOT. Some people might call Tess's mom, Sarah, a freak, but she'd prefer to be called a free spirit. It's Sarah's quest for happiness and personal fulfillment at lands the two of them at a compound for an off beat spiritual group (read: cult). While Sarah feels she's finally found where she belongs, Tess feels more lost than ever. The only person who makes her feel grounded is 20-year-old Colin. Tess starts to lie to everyone around her in order to spend time with Colin - and that's just the start of her problems.
I wasn't amazed by this book, but I did like it. Tess and Sarah were both compelling characters and at times I didn't know who I felt more sorry for - Tess, who's own mother is so self-absorbed she misses her daughter's birthday, or Sarah, who wants acceptance so badly she's willing to do anything for it. Actually, you could aruge that both characters crave acceptance, love, understanding and are both incredibly self-absorbed (although Tess, at 14/15 is supposed to be).
Tess's budding relationship with Colin is so disturbing. I can understand Tess getting so wrapped up, but the fact that Colin didn't see anything wrong with it REALLY bothers me.
I did have a small problem with the time frame. The best I could figure, the book is set in the mid to late 80's, but aside from the author wanting to be able to reference music, I didn't see any particular reason for it. I'd be reading along, then there'd be an 80's music reference that would totally throw me off.
Overall this was a good book. I'd recommend it for high school readers because of the drug use and sex scenes.
I wasn't amazed by this book, but I did like it. Tess and Sarah were both compelling characters and at times I didn't know who I felt more sorry for - Tess, who's own mother is so self-absorbed she misses her daughter's birthday, or Sarah, who wants acceptance so badly she's willing to do anything for it. Actually, you could aruge that both characters crave acceptance, love, understanding and are both incredibly self-absorbed (although Tess, at 14/15 is supposed to be).
Tess's budding relationship with Colin is so disturbing. I can understand Tess getting so wrapped up, but the fact that Colin didn't see anything wrong with it REALLY bothers me.
I did have a small problem with the time frame. The best I could figure, the book is set in the mid to late 80's, but aside from the author wanting to be able to reference music, I didn't see any particular reason for it. I'd be reading along, then there'd be an 80's music reference that would totally throw me off.
Overall this was a good book. I'd recommend it for high school readers because of the drug use and sex scenes.
July 1, 2010
Jessica Blank's writing style is straight forward and bare to the bone. With the first sentence, I was hooked enough to want to read the book straight through. The story is told through the eyes of a fourteen year old girl, Tess, who was abandoned by her father and living with her mother who had not grown up herself. They were on and off the road for most of the girl’s life. Her mother was drawn to living in an ashram. I don’t know if this was a true picture of what life is like in ashram but I think it is possible.
The girl at times in the beginning was more forgiving of her mother than I expected. Tess gave her mother good marks for effort. She thought her mother was doing the best that she could do but when I was reading the book, I thought her mother could do so much more. The mother allows her daughter no choices of where they would live, what they would do and or anything. It is like the mother only desired to look within herself for spiritual happiness. In the meantime her mother missed all that was important with her daughter. She was searching herself but somehow could not see her daughter’s need for love and attention.
Tess, the daughter need to be loved and taken care of here, to have someone to was really there for her. She thought she found that in Colin, but he doesn’t protect from taking risks with himself or his buddies. I felt very satisfied with the ending. There was a point in the book that I thought took plenty of guts from Tess, I felt proud of her. This book is abundant with issues that need to be discussed between mother and daughter. I loved this book.
The girl at times in the beginning was more forgiving of her mother than I expected. Tess gave her mother good marks for effort. She thought her mother was doing the best that she could do but when I was reading the book, I thought her mother could do so much more. The mother allows her daughter no choices of where they would live, what they would do and or anything. It is like the mother only desired to look within herself for spiritual happiness. In the meantime her mother missed all that was important with her daughter. She was searching herself but somehow could not see her daughter’s need for love and attention.
Tess, the daughter need to be loved and taken care of here, to have someone to was really there for her. She thought she found that in Colin, but he doesn’t protect from taking risks with himself or his buddies. I felt very satisfied with the ending. There was a point in the book that I thought took plenty of guts from Tess, I felt proud of her. This book is abundant with issues that need to be discussed between mother and daughter. I loved this book.
June 8, 2012
Firstly, thank you to Nicole with The Book Report Network for sending me a copy of this book! Simply from reading the synopsis, I thought it sounded like an interesting premise and a promising story. Upon starting the book, I realized it was set in the 80's, which I also found to be a nice change from the modern setting that is usually depicted in stories lately. While I initially found the relationship between Tessa and her mother (and their move to an ashram) intriguing, ultimately the story fell flat for me.
I think the reason it didn't resonate is that I simply couldn't relate to the characters. I have never felt the way Tessa did, nor did I ever contemplate acting the way she did and making some of the decisions she chose. While this is supposed to be a young adult novel, I was really turned off by the amount of sex and drug use that was depicted. I guess it happens, but I have to admit if I had a 14-year old daughter, I would not want her reading this novel, nor do I really feel that is appropriate for anyone in that general age group. The first part of the story that focused on the move to the ashram and the effect it had on Tessa and her mother was certainly interesting, but the story started going downhill shortly thereafter.
The writing is generally solid, with my only complaint being the use of first person point of view. I seem to have become more sensitive to that lately and I really thought some of the phrases felt awkward simply because they were written in first-person. So, while I can appreciate that many people would probably enjoy Karma for Beginners, it did not work for me, nor would I feel comfortable recommending it to others.
I think the reason it didn't resonate is that I simply couldn't relate to the characters. I have never felt the way Tessa did, nor did I ever contemplate acting the way she did and making some of the decisions she chose. While this is supposed to be a young adult novel, I was really turned off by the amount of sex and drug use that was depicted. I guess it happens, but I have to admit if I had a 14-year old daughter, I would not want her reading this novel, nor do I really feel that is appropriate for anyone in that general age group. The first part of the story that focused on the move to the ashram and the effect it had on Tessa and her mother was certainly interesting, but the story started going downhill shortly thereafter.
The writing is generally solid, with my only complaint being the use of first person point of view. I seem to have become more sensitive to that lately and I really thought some of the phrases felt awkward simply because they were written in first-person. So, while I can appreciate that many people would probably enjoy Karma for Beginners, it did not work for me, nor would I feel comfortable recommending it to others.
April 21, 2011
Tessa's single, free-spirit mom, Sarah, is moving them again--but this time it's to an ashram in the Catskills! Once they get there, her mom becomes even more distant and absorbed in her own "spiritual growth", leaving Tessa nearly constantly alone, both physically and emotionally.
I really liked this--I thought that Tessa's voice was very real, and that Blank really captured the magic of a first love/sexual relationship (even though it's pretty dysfunctional--he's six years older than Tessa, and he and his friends turn out to be stoners), and the frustration of having to accept parental choices--although in this case they are extreme. Blank must have spent some time in an ashram--it seems like she's nailed the politics, the jargon-laden rules, the pettiness and rank issues. But a lot of the story will ring true to many girls, struggling to find themselves in relation to their parents wishes and plans. As a mom, I'm a little worried that Blank made the sex and drug (Some pot, one acid trip) parts too appealing, but there were some consequences to the behavior (Were there enough? Good question.)
Here are some more: What do you think will happen next for Tessa and her mom? Did you like the ending? What do you think of Colin? What should have happened to him? To "the beard guy"? Are men no good? Why is her mom's name such a big deal for Tessa?
I just read "Room", too--talk about polar opposites in mothering!
I really liked this--I thought that Tessa's voice was very real, and that Blank really captured the magic of a first love/sexual relationship (even though it's pretty dysfunctional--he's six years older than Tessa, and he and his friends turn out to be stoners), and the frustration of having to accept parental choices--although in this case they are extreme. Blank must have spent some time in an ashram--it seems like she's nailed the politics, the jargon-laden rules, the pettiness and rank issues. But a lot of the story will ring true to many girls, struggling to find themselves in relation to their parents wishes and plans. As a mom, I'm a little worried that Blank made the sex and drug (Some pot, one acid trip) parts too appealing, but there were some consequences to the behavior (Were there enough? Good question.)
Here are some more: What do you think will happen next for Tessa and her mom? Did you like the ending? What do you think of Colin? What should have happened to him? To "the beard guy"? Are men no good? Why is her mom's name such a big deal for Tessa?
I just read "Room", too--talk about polar opposites in mothering!
January 28, 2011
I wasn't sure about this one, but since it was a free ARC from the ALA conference, I thought I might as well give it a shot. Right off the bat, I liked that the book was set in the mid-1980s instead of current day. Tessa is fourteen and lives with her flaky mom, who pulls up stakes and moves them around pretty often. This time, they move to an ashram near the Catskills, where Tessa feels out of control and out of place. Her mom becomes even less interested in her as she becomes creepily close to the guru of the group, and Tessa finds refuge in a wholly inappropriate place--the arms of the twenty-year-old college dropout who works as the ashram's mechanic. This is definitely one some parents will find troublesome because, with this older guy, Tessa has sex and does drugs. But the story really reinforces how important strong parent-child relationships are and the importance of supervision and care. It can also bridge the generation gap, showing today's teens that the same problems existed when their parents were kids.
November 11, 2009
This was an interesting read. I debated on giving it four stars or three... I went with three, just for overall tone. Had Tessa and Colin been closer in age, or had each been five years older, Tessa 20 and Colin 25, I 'may' have liked the overall book more. I enjoyed all the music references, to some of the my very favorite music from the 70's and 80's. I have always wondered what it was like to be on an acid trip... The author, Jennifer Blank, did a very good job of writing what its like, 'visually' explaining the situation. I was happy how it ended, with Sarah realizing somethings she should have considering long ago, i.e her daughters needs, not just her own, but wonder what the two ended up doing after ashram... It ended in literally, one page. It was at the height of the climax, and then bam!! Over... I would have liked a little more.
July 17, 2015
I was really looking forward to reading this book but now I'm pretty sure my feelings on this book go far beyond dislike. Actually, I hate this book. This book deals with several serious, adult themes in a very flippant manner. No matter what happened in the story, the characters just kept on with their lives. None of them had to face the real consequences of their actions. The setting was also a part of this book I did not like. Based on the synopsis, I thought the story would either be set in the present or in the 1970's. Having the book set in the 1980's seemed very random and actually detracted from the story by the very fact that there was absolutely no reason for it. All of the characters have extremely bad personalities with no redeeming qualities whatsoever.
June 20, 2011
When i read the blurb of the book, i thought it was going to be a love story between Tess and Colin. What the story is really about is herself, and the relationship of her parents. i liked the ending, the story had a nice plot, and a sort of mystery to it. Other than that it was okay, the character was great and the supporting characters too.
The relationship between her parents is like this, her mother is a free spirit, who later in the story becomes distant from Tess, which she has her up and her downs, but when some guy breaks up with her they move, making her mom think selfish. And Tess is really curious about her father who she deonst want to ask about because her mom will trow sort of a fit.
But i would recommend this book for middle schoolers. Its is a good book.
The relationship between her parents is like this, her mother is a free spirit, who later in the story becomes distant from Tess, which she has her up and her downs, but when some guy breaks up with her they move, making her mom think selfish. And Tess is really curious about her father who she deonst want to ask about because her mom will trow sort of a fit.
But i would recommend this book for middle schoolers. Its is a good book.
January 24, 2016
YA fiction is still somewhat a new genre for me, so it's harder to say what standards I should hold up. I was pulled in by this story, and the voice of the teenager read realistic and believable. The parallels between mother and daughter were striking- especially in their respective searches for something to define them and bring them peace, as frustrating as it was to read about a mother on the same maturity level as her 14 year old daughter. (Or oftentimes below it.) The context of the story includes darker subject matter than I guess I care to think about my own young children reading in a few years, but it certainly could make for interesting discussions about teenage sexuality, relationships, trust and pressure.
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November 10, 2009Although I felt empathy for Tessa, the protagonist, a fifteen year-old who is drug from place to place by a would-be hippie mom, I never clicked with either her or her mother. The ashram to which they move is an interesting setting, but felt somewhat caricatured. And Tessa's feelings about the spiritual life her mother seeks bounce from total disinterest to scorn to fascination. That fuzziness, combined with a love/hate relationship with her mother made it hard for me to care what happened to any of them, even as Tessa became more and more involved sexually with a 20 year-old, and experimented with drugs. There felt like a lot of plot, but not much heart in the book.
April 16, 2010
This book was amazing. I feel like in a way I connected with her because she was faced with numerous desicions she had to make and it was intesting seeing it. I tend to like books about peoples lives and this book showed a very intresting life. This book was really good in the beggining and you see the first half comming and slowly as you get to the end there is a crazy twist. I feel the theme of the book was most definetly speaking up and self discovery. This book was well written with a really strong story line. EVERYONE READ IT
April 8, 2010
I LOVED this book, I think it was so cute & adorable, but it got me aggravated at times just because. I think the theme of the book is to cherish what you have & don't forget who you are, i guess, because in the book the mother completely looses sight of what's really important to her, in her life. Then that leads the daughter to feel abandoned, and misses what she had with her mom. ( Spoiler ) The mother soon realizes that she has been neglecting her daughter all this time trying to start a new life that it wasn't normal. So they pack up & go.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 30, 2010
I did not like this book its about a girl who is a vegan wants to know her dad moves to a hippy camp i liked this part but the thing i did not like is that she is a 14 year old girl who goes and sleeps around with a 20 year old smokes pot drinks and the author included this sex in practically every chapter
November 1, 2013
I was going to give this two stars, for the sheer unbelievability of the character's, especially Tessa's mother. The dirty old man guru was almost the only believable character.
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