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Ideal High
a tragic fire
a grieving student body
a class vice president forced to read the names of the dead at a memorial What a way to start a senior year…
Taryn’s decided there’s no way she’s taking her late boyfriend’s place as president of the student body. As soon as the memorial for him and six of their friends is over, she’s resigning as VP. Really.
Until someone scribbles a disturbing list on a bathroom WHO DESERVED TO DIE IN THE FIRE? The bullied Tim Jenks’ name tops the list, but more are quickly added. Taryn knows what it means. To get to the truth she has to come out from under her paisley comforter where she spent all summer, and go from grieving girlfriend to leading the fight against lies and bullies.
But, seriously, what stage of grief says Taryn has to be the one to fix what’s wrong at Ideal High? Maybe she’s the one who’s broken.
a grieving student body
a class vice president forced to read the names of the dead at a memorial What a way to start a senior year…
Taryn’s decided there’s no way she’s taking her late boyfriend’s place as president of the student body. As soon as the memorial for him and six of their friends is over, she’s resigning as VP. Really.
Until someone scribbles a disturbing list on a bathroom WHO DESERVED TO DIE IN THE FIRE? The bullied Tim Jenks’ name tops the list, but more are quickly added. Taryn knows what it means. To get to the truth she has to come out from under her paisley comforter where she spent all summer, and go from grieving girlfriend to leading the fight against lies and bullies.
But, seriously, what stage of grief says Taryn has to be the one to fix what’s wrong at Ideal High? Maybe she’s the one who’s broken.
364 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 14, 2015
22 people are currently reading
418 people want to read
About the author
Valerie Ipson
11 books25 followersValerie Ipson loves her family…and reading, writing, genealogy, and Hershey's Extra Creamy Milk Chocolate Toffee & Almond Nuggets (can the name be any longer?). She lives in Mesa, Arizona, and writes YA and Christmas Romance. Reading has always been a huge love in her life, but she never dreamed she’d be on the author side of a book. Valerie hopes she can give readers the same experience she has enjoyed through the years while being curled up with a good book!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews
April 26, 2019
Fantastic book! Loved reading it so much! The ending was a bit weird, it all happened in a just a few pages I was expecting a little bit more but still great
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 7, 2019
I really enjoyed this book. I would recommend this book to anyone that is into mysteries. I really like the ending of the book and how they did the funeral in the church but didn't talk about religion. I am not a into reading and this book really caught my attention. I would read this book any chance that I got to. I give this book a Five star review, it deserves it. This should be a book that schools make their students read. Valerie Ipson Thanks for donating these books to my teacher.
May 1, 2019
I absolutely loved this book. I got attached to the characters and felt their grief. It is a beautiful tale of reality and tragedy morphed into acceptance and moving on. It never failed to make my heart pound, and my eyes well with tears. (I may have even gasped at times when shocked by betrayals 😉) All in all it was a good and easy read and left me thirsty for more by the end. I applaud Valerie Ipson for this great novel and wish her luck in her future career.
April 23, 2019
Ideal High touches on very important and modern issues. The message included is amazing and it is a fast and easy read. Although the ending moves very fast and everything comes together, I do think that some scenes could have been more expanded. I love the plot of the book but I feel like the transitioning scenes between the climax is a common story that I have read before. I wish that Levi had a little more of an impact on Taryn and showed up more in the book. I also felt like Zeke wasn't really explained. I think it would have made the book a lot better if he showed up more and we got a little more insight into his relationship with the characters along with Chelsea and Taryn's hostile friendship.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 19, 2015
Ideal High is well written, suspenseful without being stressful, and a clean, enjoyable read that was hard to put down.
The characters were all so real, none over the top, and issues were true to life and handled in a realistic way. This showed many of the struggles kids often face in high school. Like any typical teenager, Taryn tries hard but doesn't handle everything perfectly. At times she gets discouraged but picks herself up and keeps on trying to do what she thinks needs to be done, even when others try to tear her apart.
I kept imagining this taking place in my high school--a place I haven't revisited in years! It had me mentally walking through the not-so-hallowed halls of my alma mater, picturing the same sorts of students of my day.
The characters were all so real, none over the top, and issues were true to life and handled in a realistic way. This showed many of the struggles kids often face in high school. Like any typical teenager, Taryn tries hard but doesn't handle everything perfectly. At times she gets discouraged but picks herself up and keeps on trying to do what she thinks needs to be done, even when others try to tear her apart.
I kept imagining this taking place in my high school--a place I haven't revisited in years! It had me mentally walking through the not-so-hallowed halls of my alma mater, picturing the same sorts of students of my day.
April 9, 2019
This book is one of my favorites now. I love the message and motivation to creates to do something about bullying whether it being just checking in with someone or including them. It really is a powerful book.
May 20, 2015
Such a great message in this book, primarily about anti-bullying, but also about acceptance, perspective, friendship, honesty, courage...
Taryn is starting her senior year at Ideal High School following a terrible summer of funerals for seven of her classmates whose lives were lost in a fire at the end of the previous school year. She was supposed to be student body vice president with her friend Blake as president, but he is one of those who died. The school administrators want Taryn to step up as president, but she is reluctant. Blake had all the ideas. However, someone needs to start making necessary changes at the school and help the student body through the aftermath of the tragedy.
Every school has these issues. It was a realistic portrayal of a small-town high school and members of its student body. Administrators may think that their schools don't have the problems that bigger schools have, but bullying is present in every school in some form. "Because Nice Matters" has become a catchphrase for a lot of schools, but I also liked the "Not In My School" motto that was adopted in this book. The students are the ones who have to make the changes. Taryn's character was believable because her attempts at fixing things weren't always successful.
Ideal High is a great book. Some mystery, some teen angst, just the right amount of romance. And it's totally clean - no swearing, no inappropriate relationships. I would recommend this book to all teens. And their parents.
I won my copy of Ideal High in a giveaway from www.newldsfiction.com. Thank you, Valerie Ipson, for participating in that program and for sending me (and signing!) your book!
Taryn is starting her senior year at Ideal High School following a terrible summer of funerals for seven of her classmates whose lives were lost in a fire at the end of the previous school year. She was supposed to be student body vice president with her friend Blake as president, but he is one of those who died. The school administrators want Taryn to step up as president, but she is reluctant. Blake had all the ideas. However, someone needs to start making necessary changes at the school and help the student body through the aftermath of the tragedy.
Every school has these issues. It was a realistic portrayal of a small-town high school and members of its student body. Administrators may think that their schools don't have the problems that bigger schools have, but bullying is present in every school in some form. "Because Nice Matters" has become a catchphrase for a lot of schools, but I also liked the "Not In My School" motto that was adopted in this book. The students are the ones who have to make the changes. Taryn's character was believable because her attempts at fixing things weren't always successful.
Ideal High is a great book. Some mystery, some teen angst, just the right amount of romance. And it's totally clean - no swearing, no inappropriate relationships. I would recommend this book to all teens. And their parents.
I won my copy of Ideal High in a giveaway from www.newldsfiction.com. Thank you, Valerie Ipson, for participating in that program and for sending me (and signing!) your book!
April 30, 2019
Ideal High by Valerie Ipson is a wonderful page-turner about, not only high school life, but about a large tragety and how people dealt with both of these things at once.
The story is held in a small school and in a small town known as Ideal. To me, the situations dealt with in the book felt more real since they are held in this small town. I grew up in a similar sized town and went to a small school up through my freshman year of high school. Because of this, the book felt even more real and hit much closer to home for me.
I will definitely (and have already) recommend this book to my friends.
The story is held in a small school and in a small town known as Ideal. To me, the situations dealt with in the book felt more real since they are held in this small town. I grew up in a similar sized town and went to a small school up through my freshman year of high school. Because of this, the book felt even more real and hit much closer to home for me.
I will definitely (and have already) recommend this book to my friends.
Read
April 12, 2019Ideal high is a beautifully written book about bullying, grief, depression, and coming together to make a difference. I love that Taryn not only wants to make change, she wants to see others make a change as well. I would definitely recommend this book to a friend. 5/5 stars.
May 26, 2016
A timely and important subject presented by a gifted storyteller. “Ideal High” is more complex than just a “one person can make a difference” book. This book is certainly that, but what I loved about it is how real the characters felt. I especially loved how Taryn, the catalyst for those changes, was an imperfect character who made mistakes, some of them painful, and how the repercussions of those mistakes played out realistically. But Taryn doesn’t give up, she learns and she grows and yes, in the end, she makes a difference that is all the more powerful for those realistic imperfections each one of us has. Her relationship with Chelsea was especially emotional for me. This book has everything—tragedy, mystery, romance, and perfect pacing—to keep a reader reading while learning important lessons along the way.
March 2, 2015
I didn't get much else done as soon as I started reading this book! I got hooked and enjoyed every page of this clean romantic mystery. I loved that teens in the book faced hard decisions and then made good choices. It is a book that moms would totally feel comfortable letting their teens read (and would want them to read). Looking forward to more from this author!
December 8, 2016
The author, Valerie Epson, sent me a DM on Twitter asking if I wanted to review her book. I replied that I did and she sent me an e-book copy. Thanks again Valerie Epson.
Ideal High is a book about Taryn, a Senior in Ideal High School who has just gone through a very tragic experience. Her supposed to be boyfriend Blake and President of the Student Council, with six other students died in a fire. Taryn, being the Vice-President will need to take Blake's place. But Taryn cannot and would not want to be President.She could never do what Blake does or did...until, she was forced to.
You know the saying, some books find you. This book is one great example. This book just came to me and I was fortunate that it did. This is one of really commendable books that I have read. This book is very brave and honest. It talks about bullying. And I can relate to what is in here. I was bullied too. Whether it was in grade school or whether I was already in college or working. Everywhere, there are always bullies, not just in high school, which is really sad. I am not anymore as weak as I was back in grade school. I now put up a fight but most of the time, I decided to leave the place where I am unhappy. I have a choice now to walk away and be somewhere else where I am appreciated. Like they say, if you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen. But I assure you, choosing to leave, doesn't mean I was defeated. I just chose to remove or stay away from toxic people and from those that won't help me in any way. I chose to have a better life and be a better person.
So, let's go back to the book. I know, I always get sidetracked. I just want to point out that this book runs very close to my heart. I can easily picture myself in there, being one of the bullied. I am saying that it is admirable to talk about this very sensitive subject. And a lot of people have been becoming aware of bullying and its ill-effects. Spreading awareness means a lot. Sometimes, those bullies, do not know what they are doing. Most do know but just refuse to acknowledge it because it's their way of exerting some semblance of control over someone or his/her life, because, in most cases, at home, he/she can never do that. The root causes, always lie at home. And most parents don't even know. Some are in denial.
In my case, I felt fortunate that some of my tormentors in grade school realized what they did to me. Some even apologized to me a few years back. The apology may have been twenty years in-the-making but that means a lot. So, if you have bullied someone before and you realized your mistake, it's not yet too late to say sorry. When that person's dead, that's too late. While that person is still breathing, whether he forgives you or not, saying sorry will never be useless. It is for yourself too. Believe me. It felt like some torn that was lodge in my chest for so long was removed and I can breathe easier. Never underestimate the power of a sincere apology, even if it took forever to reach the recipient or to make.
I give the book 5/5 stars. I wish I had someone like Taryn while I was growing up. I could use some champion to defend me. I remember my seatmate in grade three and she defended me once. I would never forget what she did. Unfortunately, we were not classmates anymore after that and I've never seen her again. I am not even sure I thanked her for what she did. But if I see her again, I will let her know that her good deed did not go unnoticed. So, to all the Taryn's in the world, thank you. May there may be more of you. Let's us all make it a conscious effort and work hard to stop bullying.
Sorrows, disappointments, and even tragedies are events in life, they are not life itself. They should not become the center of everything you do.
- Valerie Epson, Ideal High -
Ideal High is a book about Taryn, a Senior in Ideal High School who has just gone through a very tragic experience. Her supposed to be boyfriend Blake and President of the Student Council, with six other students died in a fire. Taryn, being the Vice-President will need to take Blake's place. But Taryn cannot and would not want to be President.She could never do what Blake does or did...until, she was forced to.
You know the saying, some books find you. This book is one great example. This book just came to me and I was fortunate that it did. This is one of really commendable books that I have read. This book is very brave and honest. It talks about bullying. And I can relate to what is in here. I was bullied too. Whether it was in grade school or whether I was already in college or working. Everywhere, there are always bullies, not just in high school, which is really sad. I am not anymore as weak as I was back in grade school. I now put up a fight but most of the time, I decided to leave the place where I am unhappy. I have a choice now to walk away and be somewhere else where I am appreciated. Like they say, if you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen. But I assure you, choosing to leave, doesn't mean I was defeated. I just chose to remove or stay away from toxic people and from those that won't help me in any way. I chose to have a better life and be a better person.
So, let's go back to the book. I know, I always get sidetracked. I just want to point out that this book runs very close to my heart. I can easily picture myself in there, being one of the bullied. I am saying that it is admirable to talk about this very sensitive subject. And a lot of people have been becoming aware of bullying and its ill-effects. Spreading awareness means a lot. Sometimes, those bullies, do not know what they are doing. Most do know but just refuse to acknowledge it because it's their way of exerting some semblance of control over someone or his/her life, because, in most cases, at home, he/she can never do that. The root causes, always lie at home. And most parents don't even know. Some are in denial.
In my case, I felt fortunate that some of my tormentors in grade school realized what they did to me. Some even apologized to me a few years back. The apology may have been twenty years in-the-making but that means a lot. So, if you have bullied someone before and you realized your mistake, it's not yet too late to say sorry. When that person's dead, that's too late. While that person is still breathing, whether he forgives you or not, saying sorry will never be useless. It is for yourself too. Believe me. It felt like some torn that was lodge in my chest for so long was removed and I can breathe easier. Never underestimate the power of a sincere apology, even if it took forever to reach the recipient or to make.
I give the book 5/5 stars. I wish I had someone like Taryn while I was growing up. I could use some champion to defend me. I remember my seatmate in grade three and she defended me once. I would never forget what she did. Unfortunately, we were not classmates anymore after that and I've never seen her again. I am not even sure I thanked her for what she did. But if I see her again, I will let her know that her good deed did not go unnoticed. So, to all the Taryn's in the world, thank you. May there may be more of you. Let's us all make it a conscious effort and work hard to stop bullying.
Sorrows, disappointments, and even tragedies are events in life, they are not life itself. They should not become the center of everything you do.
- Valerie Epson, Ideal High -
July 29, 2015
Teen grieves the passing of her best friends in high school after a tragic accident. While roughly moving through and on, she tries to make herself and the school into something better because of it.
Kind of sad. Kind of inspiring. Good message. Worth the read. A mystery without the intense feel of danger.
Clean.
Kind of sad. Kind of inspiring. Good message. Worth the read. A mystery without the intense feel of danger.
Clean.
April 14, 2015
IDEAL HIGH is an outstanding story with strong purpose and a clear message. It's a great book for youth and adults. Its well written and full of honest emotion, gripping at most parts. I found myself drawn to the story, interested in the characters and unable to put the book down. I highly recommend this book!
April 16, 2019
Wow, this one's a tearjerker. I was impressed by the characterization and really enjoyed getting to know the characters. I liked the theme of bullying, and that the theme was real and present but not cliche or soap-boxing--in fact, the main character rails against that kind of story.
John Green, when talking about his book Turtles All the Way Down, claimed that he kept trying to write a plot but the characters got in the way. I think this book has a little of that--the main story is about the characters, and it's a great story, but the plot--the mystery of the fire--takes a backseat, and the main character isn't very proactive at solving it. I'm not sure that's a problem, as long as the reader is clear that this is a character focused-story. The ending is still meaningful, the twist is pretty good, and overall I really enjoyed reading it.
John Green, when talking about his book Turtles All the Way Down, claimed that he kept trying to write a plot but the characters got in the way. I think this book has a little of that--the main story is about the characters, and it's a great story, but the plot--the mystery of the fire--takes a backseat, and the main character isn't very proactive at solving it. I'm not sure that's a problem, as long as the reader is clear that this is a character focused-story. The ending is still meaningful, the twist is pretty good, and overall I really enjoyed reading it.
January 20, 2016
This book was hard to put down, and it took me about 3/4 through to think that I'd maybe figured out "whodunit". But I was wrong. Taryn is a survivor of a terrible tragedy that results in the death of seven of her friends. When she faces her senior year of high school with a broken and heavy heart, she doesn't know if she can live up to her commitments. But the tragedy is tearing apart the community, not uniting it. So Taryn vows to find a way to make things better. A noble journey of an average teenager faced with hard decisions. I loved the mystery of this story and the well-developed characters.
April 3, 2015
Beautiful message!
Great book! Every tween, teenager and adult needs to read this book. A beautiful message wrapped up in a gripping story. A little tragedy, mystery and romance. I didn't want to put it down, and when I did, I couldn't stop thinking about it. The author tackles one of the most prominent issues in today's schools, and brings to light behaviors that on the surface may not seem harmful. This will make for an excellent book club discussion.
Great book! Every tween, teenager and adult needs to read this book. A beautiful message wrapped up in a gripping story. A little tragedy, mystery and romance. I didn't want to put it down, and when I did, I couldn't stop thinking about it. The author tackles one of the most prominent issues in today's schools, and brings to light behaviors that on the surface may not seem harmful. This will make for an excellent book club discussion.
July 8, 2016
Where to start? The book started out a bit confusing to me (just a few pages until I settled in though). We know something bad happened but we don't know any details, just that 7 of Tayrn's friends are dead and she's been depressed all summer. There are lots of names and people to put in the right place, but once that is done, the story is much easier to follow.
The mystery is good. The reader never knows to much, but I didn't get frustrated waiting for the answers to come out. They leaked out at the right pace to leave me guessing and then re-evaluating those theories about what happened and who is really to blame.
There is a lot of talk about bullying, and some of the teachers/principal irked me that they didn't want to see it. However, Taryn keeps pushing on. I appreciated the realism in the fact that at times Taryn was a bully herself and didn't recognize it at first. There are times in all of our lives where we lean toward the bullying side simply out of our own enthusiasm for a certain idea or project. This was a good reminder to keep taking note of our own actions and words regardless of good intentions.
This was a quick easy read with good tension and suspense, as well as a heavy dose of teen angst. I give Ideal High a solid 4.
1-5 scale and what it means:
1: I couldn’t even finish it / just plain bad
2: I hope I didn’t pay for this / disappointing
3: I didn’t hate it, but it was still missing something / forgettable but inoffensive
3.5: On the line between good and ok / like, not love
4: Solid mind candy / worth reading
4.5: So very close to perfection! / must read
5: I could not put it down and I’m still thinking about it! / a true treasure
The mystery is good. The reader never knows to much, but I didn't get frustrated waiting for the answers to come out. They leaked out at the right pace to leave me guessing and then re-evaluating those theories about what happened and who is really to blame.
There is a lot of talk about bullying, and some of the teachers/principal irked me that they didn't want to see it. However, Taryn keeps pushing on. I appreciated the realism in the fact that at times Taryn was a bully herself and didn't recognize it at first. There are times in all of our lives where we lean toward the bullying side simply out of our own enthusiasm for a certain idea or project. This was a good reminder to keep taking note of our own actions and words regardless of good intentions.
This was a quick easy read with good tension and suspense, as well as a heavy dose of teen angst. I give Ideal High a solid 4.
1-5 scale and what it means:
1: I couldn’t even finish it / just plain bad
2: I hope I didn’t pay for this / disappointing
3: I didn’t hate it, but it was still missing something / forgettable but inoffensive
3.5: On the line between good and ok / like, not love
4: Solid mind candy / worth reading
4.5: So very close to perfection! / must read
5: I could not put it down and I’m still thinking about it! / a true treasure
October 27, 2015
I found this book to be one of the best new YA books I've read this year. High school senior Taryn and all her classmates are dealing with the scarring aftermath of a tragedy that struck a large number of their classmates at the end of the previous school year, but the details of the ordeal unfold slowly as Taryn reveals them and as different characters come forth to help solve what, exactly, caused the events of that horrible night--and who is at fault.
Ipson has created characters so real I felt like I was sitting in class next to them, and I relived all those teen-angst memories vividly alongside the characters. The narrative is in present tense, which isn't my favorite, but Ipson managed it very well. The book is a clean read, but it also tackles some heart-rending issues at the same time. The ending was so well done I would read this book again, which I hardly ever say. Five strong stars for this book.
Ipson has created characters so real I felt like I was sitting in class next to them, and I relived all those teen-angst memories vividly alongside the characters. The narrative is in present tense, which isn't my favorite, but Ipson managed it very well. The book is a clean read, but it also tackles some heart-rending issues at the same time. The ending was so well done I would read this book again, which I hardly ever say. Five strong stars for this book.
February 5, 2016
This is a great book with a very inspiring message. The book is suspenseful and heart warming at the same time. I couldn't put it down until it was over, and then I found myself thinking about how I treat others, and ways that I can change for the better. I would highly recommend this book to Junior High and High School students (and adults will enjoy as well). It's a clean book, a fun read, and has an important message.
March 29, 2015
Ideal High is a powerful story of healing and redemption, all while weaving in suspense, mystery, and love. And at the heart of the story is the universal truth that from tragedy comes the sweetness of triumph and joy when you look outside yourself and care for others. Loved reading this story-and will recommend it to all my friends!
December 4, 2017
It is hard to tell that this book is the first one by the author. It is an amazing book, dealing with a weighty subject in a sensitive and compelling manner. And while the overall tone of the story was serious, it was not depressing and carried a sense of hope.
The story was told exclusively in the first person perspective of Taryn, which was exactly the way it needed to be told. Though she was part of the popular crowd, there was a sense that she didn't always feel like she belonged there. She was flawed and had to come to realize that she was part of the bullying problem simply by not paying attention to those outside her own world.
The story had all the characters I remember from school. The science teacher who reminded me of the one I had in Junior High. The in crowd, the not-so-in crowd. I loved that there was also the wonderful lady who worked in the school office named Phyllis. Who was motherly and caring. Not that it was written after me, mind you, as I don't even know the author from anything beyond an e-mail or two and her bio. :-)
There was brief mention in the book that the funeral took place at a Mormon church, but there is no doctrine shared in the story, and beyond the funeral service, no mention of religion at all.
This review was originally posted on Among the Reads
The story was told exclusively in the first person perspective of Taryn, which was exactly the way it needed to be told. Though she was part of the popular crowd, there was a sense that she didn't always feel like she belonged there. She was flawed and had to come to realize that she was part of the bullying problem simply by not paying attention to those outside her own world.
The story had all the characters I remember from school. The science teacher who reminded me of the one I had in Junior High. The in crowd, the not-so-in crowd. I loved that there was also the wonderful lady who worked in the school office named Phyllis. Who was motherly and caring. Not that it was written after me, mind you, as I don't even know the author from anything beyond an e-mail or two and her bio. :-)
She is also the adviser to the cheer squad, and despite the fact that she was a cheerleader at Ideal High about a hundred years ago, she tries to keep up the image. She's not fooling anyone.
"I was freaking out thinking he was going to pull a gun."
I turn away, pretending the paper towel and my dark bangs are enough to shield my face.
Now there's a pile of comforters high enough for me to cower under.
"Just had stuff to do." Sleep. A funeral. Decide to be president.
"The whole makeover idea. It's like a bad teen movie. They want to say 'Don't judge someone by their looks', and then what do they do every time? A makeover. Then the person's beautiful and they're all popular. It's fake."
There was brief mention in the book that the funeral took place at a Mormon church, but there is no doctrine shared in the story, and beyond the funeral service, no mention of religion at all.
This review was originally posted on Among the Reads
July 6, 2016
Taryn has pretty much spent a summer in bed, after her almost boyfriend and six other classmates die in a fire. Taryn has a choice: sit back and do nothing her Senior Year or makes some hard, yet necessary changes to make her school better.
I love the play on the word Ideal. Not only does Taryn try and change Ideal to make it more ideal, but that's the name of their small Texas town. There are some great characters, in both good and bad ways, that accentuate this word, this school, and this community.
Change is hard and I admire Taryn's persistence to persevere, even when it's not the popular choice. There are some very serious issues addressed within these pages--bullying being the main one. It can't be solved easily, but Taryn tries her best to chip away at the problem and I love the way some unlikely characters jump on the bandwagon with her. Of course, I love the potential romantic and mystery elements. It's so important to Taryn to find out the truth of what really happened that night. Was it an accident or not?
I can't stop thinking about the way each of these lives intersect. The same goes for real life--we never know the way we can effect people and situations and these cross-threads were fascinating, in a sometimes horrifying way, to watch unravel. This book really made me sit back and access my life and the world around me. Sometimes tradition outweighs change, even when it's more beneficial to adapt. It's too easy to get stuck in a rut and I'm really thinking hard about the comparisons between this story and life. Is it better to stick out and make a difference or conform and turn a blind eye to evil? There's a lot of growth and self-confidence developed throughout this book and I loved it.
Content: mild violence (bullying, death--not too graphic); mild romance (some very mild innuendo). Clean and especially great for teens and parents, if only to bring about awareness to modern life.
*I received a copy from the author in exchange for an honest review*
I love the play on the word Ideal. Not only does Taryn try and change Ideal to make it more ideal, but that's the name of their small Texas town. There are some great characters, in both good and bad ways, that accentuate this word, this school, and this community.
Change is hard and I admire Taryn's persistence to persevere, even when it's not the popular choice. There are some very serious issues addressed within these pages--bullying being the main one. It can't be solved easily, but Taryn tries her best to chip away at the problem and I love the way some unlikely characters jump on the bandwagon with her. Of course, I love the potential romantic and mystery elements. It's so important to Taryn to find out the truth of what really happened that night. Was it an accident or not?
I can't stop thinking about the way each of these lives intersect. The same goes for real life--we never know the way we can effect people and situations and these cross-threads were fascinating, in a sometimes horrifying way, to watch unravel. This book really made me sit back and access my life and the world around me. Sometimes tradition outweighs change, even when it's more beneficial to adapt. It's too easy to get stuck in a rut and I'm really thinking hard about the comparisons between this story and life. Is it better to stick out and make a difference or conform and turn a blind eye to evil? There's a lot of growth and self-confidence developed throughout this book and I loved it.
Content: mild violence (bullying, death--not too graphic); mild romance (some very mild innuendo). Clean and especially great for teens and parents, if only to bring about awareness to modern life.
*I received a copy from the author in exchange for an honest review*
May 21, 2016
Ideal High, by Valerie Ipson, begins at the memorial for seven high school students from Ideal Texas, who had died in a tragic fire. The main character, Taryn Young and her frenemy, Chelsea, who were both friends with the students who died, take turns presenting the names as the principal projects their pictures on huge screens in the high school auditorium. A young man enters, commandeers the stage and insists his brother be added to the list of the deceased.
At first, the fire seems like a tragic accident, but as the police and Taryn find out more of what happened that night and witness students' reactions to the event, Taryn realizes the horrific truth: Ideal High isn't so ideal.
When she sees a growing list on a bathroom stall—a list of students who someone thinks should have died in the fire—Taryn is sickened by the thought and realizes she must do something before things get even further out of hand.
This story, a first by author Valerie Ipson, is written in an engaging style, and although the topics of bullying and death aren't light subjects, Ideal High is not sentimental or morose. It held my interest from the very first chapter.
At first, the fire seems like a tragic accident, but as the police and Taryn find out more of what happened that night and witness students' reactions to the event, Taryn realizes the horrific truth: Ideal High isn't so ideal.
When she sees a growing list on a bathroom stall—a list of students who someone thinks should have died in the fire—Taryn is sickened by the thought and realizes she must do something before things get even further out of hand.
This story, a first by author Valerie Ipson, is written in an engaging style, and although the topics of bullying and death aren't light subjects, Ideal High is not sentimental or morose. It held my interest from the very first chapter.
April 17, 2017
Any book that deals with the subject of bullying hits very close to home for me, so when I read the blurb for Ideal High, I knew I had to read it.
If you are reading this review and are trying to determine whether or not you should get this book ... even if you read no further than this line ... GET IT. READ IT. Get your kids to read it, especially if they are high school aged. This book will stay with them for a long, long time.
Taryn is starting her senior year after the worst summer in her life. The small Texas town of Ideal is reeling from an epic tragedy, a fire that claimed the lives of seven of Taryn's classmates, including Blake, her BF/BFF and the student body president. Taryn is being asked to fulfill Blake's role for the senior year, but after attending seven separate funerals, she's not sure she's up to it.
But wait - were there seven victims, or eight? When it comes to light that an eighth person, a bullied kid, might have been at the scene of the tragedy that night, Ideal High, indeed the entire town, becomes a powder keg. Accusations and rumors fly left and right, threatening to tear the town apart. And at the middle of it all is Taryn, who wants nothing more than to get her classmates to see reason so that history doesn't repeat itself. With the noblest of intentions, many of her endeavors miss the mark entirely, because segregation based on everything from sartorial style to athletic ability is what makes high school high school.
At the center of this magnificently-crafted story is a mystery. Every other chapter, Taryn gets a clue about the true story behind the tragedy that leaves us readers scrambling to figure out "whodunit" until the very, very end.
For me, this book had no weaknesses. There was a hint of romance between Taryn and another character that wasn't as fleshed out as I might have liked, but then, the core story wasn't really about romance. It was about tragedy and how everyone deals with it. It was about learning from one's mistakes. It was changing one's little corner of the world in any way possible.
Bravo, Ms. Ipson. Keep writing amazing stories like this, and I'll keep reading them.
Now, go buy/download/borrow this book. Read it today.
If you are reading this review and are trying to determine whether or not you should get this book ... even if you read no further than this line ... GET IT. READ IT. Get your kids to read it, especially if they are high school aged. This book will stay with them for a long, long time.
Taryn is starting her senior year after the worst summer in her life. The small Texas town of Ideal is reeling from an epic tragedy, a fire that claimed the lives of seven of Taryn's classmates, including Blake, her BF/BFF and the student body president. Taryn is being asked to fulfill Blake's role for the senior year, but after attending seven separate funerals, she's not sure she's up to it.
But wait - were there seven victims, or eight? When it comes to light that an eighth person, a bullied kid, might have been at the scene of the tragedy that night, Ideal High, indeed the entire town, becomes a powder keg. Accusations and rumors fly left and right, threatening to tear the town apart. And at the middle of it all is Taryn, who wants nothing more than to get her classmates to see reason so that history doesn't repeat itself. With the noblest of intentions, many of her endeavors miss the mark entirely, because segregation based on everything from sartorial style to athletic ability is what makes high school high school.
At the center of this magnificently-crafted story is a mystery. Every other chapter, Taryn gets a clue about the true story behind the tragedy that leaves us readers scrambling to figure out "whodunit" until the very, very end.
For me, this book had no weaknesses. There was a hint of romance between Taryn and another character that wasn't as fleshed out as I might have liked, but then, the core story wasn't really about romance. It was about tragedy and how everyone deals with it. It was about learning from one's mistakes. It was changing one's little corner of the world in any way possible.
Bravo, Ms. Ipson. Keep writing amazing stories like this, and I'll keep reading them.
Now, go buy/download/borrow this book. Read it today.
June 26, 2016
WHAT IT'S ABOUT
There’s no way Taryn’s taking Blake’s place as president of the student body. As soon as the memorial for him and six of their friends is over, she’s resigning as VP. Really.
Except people say the fire was no accident.
(She say it’s way too easy to blame someone who’s dead.)
When Taryn reads the writing on the wall, literally, the bathroom wall, she knows what it means. To get to the truth she has to come out from under her paisley comforter.
But, seriously, what stage of grief says Taryn has to be the one to fix what’s wrong at Ideal High? Maybe she’s the one who’s broken.
MY TAKE
This book! Great voice for Taryn. I loved the "realness" of how she handled her grief. I really sympathized with how she found it so hard to go back to Donut King, where she'd used to work and because the donuts had been one of the things that had brought her and her boyfriend Blake together in the first place. Getting to a point where she could face those again was a huge step to moving on for her.
I especially loved that she was wasn't the only one struggling to find her way and do the right thing. Even if she didn't always get it right. I also loved how she was sometimes feisty yet also sometimes a little cowardly, by not speaking up, by reacting without understanding what she'd seen. Readers can learn a lot from Taryn's mistakes.
I received a copy in exchange for an honest review.
There’s no way Taryn’s taking Blake’s place as president of the student body. As soon as the memorial for him and six of their friends is over, she’s resigning as VP. Really.
Except people say the fire was no accident.
(She say it’s way too easy to blame someone who’s dead.)
When Taryn reads the writing on the wall, literally, the bathroom wall, she knows what it means. To get to the truth she has to come out from under her paisley comforter.
But, seriously, what stage of grief says Taryn has to be the one to fix what’s wrong at Ideal High? Maybe she’s the one who’s broken.
MY TAKE
This book! Great voice for Taryn. I loved the "realness" of how she handled her grief. I really sympathized with how she found it so hard to go back to Donut King, where she'd used to work and because the donuts had been one of the things that had brought her and her boyfriend Blake together in the first place. Getting to a point where she could face those again was a huge step to moving on for her.
I especially loved that she was wasn't the only one struggling to find her way and do the right thing. Even if she didn't always get it right. I also loved how she was sometimes feisty yet also sometimes a little cowardly, by not speaking up, by reacting without understanding what she'd seen. Readers can learn a lot from Taryn's mistakes.
I received a copy in exchange for an honest review.
July 21, 2016
Every teen and parent of a teen should read this book. Written from the perspective of a young woman experiencing the loss of friends in a tragic accident, it delves into tough youth topics like alienation, bullying, depression, and gloriously, the difference one brave, determined person can make.
I was totally caught up in the story. It came to me during a period when these topics are hitting very close to home, and underscores how deeply these issues affect youth. The messages are powerful, and so is the delivery. Ipson's main character, Taryn, is believable and beautiful flawed herself. Ipson nails the voice and concerns of today's youth, and handles tough topics without becoming didactic or melodramatic. Each character is wonderfully unique and dynamic, and together they illustrate the wide, complicated spectrum of youth.
Ipson hits high marks for delivering a compassionate story and perfectly pacing the normal flow of teen interactions. We are drawn in. We care about this broad cast of characters.
Sociologically, the author illustrates how easily anyone can become a target, simply by speaking out, sticking out, or standing up, and bless her for making Taryn a struggling teen with her own invisible prejudices, who recognizes them and the price she may have to pay to change.
Parents, read the book and talk to your youth. Better yet, get two downloads and read it together. Then talk.
October 4, 2015
Every High Schooler should read this book!
This a book that every high schooled aged student should read. Taryn is a great character; not perfect, but a believable, likable character who does the best she can.
The book starts off like a brick in the chest. The issues that Taryn is dealing with are painful and difficult. And as we follow her through the story, we realize that the book isn't a typical drama filled high school novel. It is part who-dun-it mystery, and part coming of age book. Taryn has a huge job to take, dealing with friends, folks who once were friends, supportive and no so supportive adults, and her own pain as she tries to do what's right, and help people. By the end of the book, I had so much respect for the character Taryn, and especially for Valerie Ipson for writing such a great book with such a great message!
This a book that every high schooled aged student should read. Taryn is a great character; not perfect, but a believable, likable character who does the best she can.
The book starts off like a brick in the chest. The issues that Taryn is dealing with are painful and difficult. And as we follow her through the story, we realize that the book isn't a typical drama filled high school novel. It is part who-dun-it mystery, and part coming of age book. Taryn has a huge job to take, dealing with friends, folks who once were friends, supportive and no so supportive adults, and her own pain as she tries to do what's right, and help people. By the end of the book, I had so much respect for the character Taryn, and especially for Valerie Ipson for writing such a great book with such a great message!
January 25, 2017
Most of the other reviews have stressed the bullying aspect of this book. While the effects and dangers of bullying are addressed, the main theme of the book is how to go on after tragedy. Taryn has to deal with survivor's guilt and picking up the pieces after losing her friends. She begins looking at the social structure of her high school and realizes that while she isn't part of the "mean girl" mentality of some of her friends, she hasn't stood up for victims, either. As she starts to see beyond the masks her classmates wear, she embarks on a journey to turn tragedy into change. It's that journey that warms the heart and gives hope for all of us.
April 20, 2016
This book is a good reminder of how bullying can effect people in many different ways. It makes me so sad to think that people are bullied every day; in school, at work and even at home. Awareness is the first step!
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