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Hit
After receiving a full-ride scholarship to Mills College for Girls, it appears Sarah's future is all laid out before her ... that is until she walks into a poetry class led by Mr. Haddings, a student teacher from the nearby University of Washington. Suddenly, life on the UW campus seems very appealing, and Sarah finds herself using her poetry journal to subtly declare her feelings for Haddings. Convinced Mr. Haddings is flirting back, she sets off for school in the rain with a poem in her back pocket---one that will declare her feelings once and for all. Mr. Haddings has noticed Sarah's attention; the fallout from any perceived relationship with a student is too great a risk, and he has decided to end all speculation that morning. But everything changes when Mr. Haddings feels a thud on his front bumper when he glances away from the road, and finds Sarah in the street with blood pooling beneath her.
224 pages, Paperback
First published October 7, 2014
7 people are currently reading
673 people want to read
About the author
Lorie Ann Grover
19 books73 followersLorie Ann Grover is an awarded YA novelist and board book author whose works include Kirkus Starred Review, Firstborn, and Parents Magazine Best Children's Book, Bedtime Kiss for Little Fish. She co-founded readergirlz and readertotz. Living with her husband in the foothills of Mt. Rainier, she writes, practices weapons tai chi, and watches hawks take flight.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 152 reviews
April 26, 2020
2.5 stars
I did like the idea of the story, I was just probably expecting something else- something more exciting, intriguing, mysterious and maybe even a bit scandalous (haha) but the plot took out a totally different route. I couldn’t blame the book though, it’s after all called Hit and the book centered on Sarah after she was hit by Haddings, her poetry teacher that she is crushing hard on.
There are several points to appreciate about this little YA book. One, it’s such a quick read. Two, the cover is so pretty, it’s mainly why I bought it. Lol. Three, it’s told in the alternating voices of Sarah and Haddix. Four, it’s completely wholesome. Five, it does try to motivate or inspire readers.
The writing however largely prevented me from fully enjoying the novel. I guess the author is trying to go for that lyrical stuff, obviously the poems were used exactly for that and it kind of leaked through the other parts of the novel- the haphazard narrations and dialogues that sometimes get really annoying. It seems like the author is trying too hard to make the teen characters sound like teens. Dragging out words like ‘Okkkaaaaay’ or repeating phrases over and over and I couldn’t cound the number of times “Yeah, right” was used. Even the dialogues between the adults do not seem very adultlike. Lol.
But anyway, if you see beyond the writing, I bet you’d still end up appreciating the short novel.
I did like the idea of the story, I was just probably expecting something else- something more exciting, intriguing, mysterious and maybe even a bit scandalous (haha) but the plot took out a totally different route. I couldn’t blame the book though, it’s after all called Hit and the book centered on Sarah after she was hit by Haddings, her poetry teacher that she is crushing hard on.
There are several points to appreciate about this little YA book. One, it’s such a quick read. Two, the cover is so pretty, it’s mainly why I bought it. Lol. Three, it’s told in the alternating voices of Sarah and Haddix. Four, it’s completely wholesome. Five, it does try to motivate or inspire readers.
The writing however largely prevented me from fully enjoying the novel. I guess the author is trying to go for that lyrical stuff, obviously the poems were used exactly for that and it kind of leaked through the other parts of the novel- the haphazard narrations and dialogues that sometimes get really annoying. It seems like the author is trying too hard to make the teen characters sound like teens. Dragging out words like ‘Okkkaaaaay’ or repeating phrases over and over and I couldn’t cound the number of times “Yeah, right” was used. Even the dialogues between the adults do not seem very adultlike. Lol.
But anyway, if you see beyond the writing, I bet you’d still end up appreciating the short novel.
December 28, 2014
Quick review for a very quick read. "Hit" is a contemporary, Christian YA work which deals with the tough scenario of a poetry teacher (Mr. Haddings) who accidentally hits his student (Sarah) during one fateful morning he isn't paying attention as she's crossing the crosswalk to go to school. The story takes place over three days (which really isn't realistic, but for the sake of the story - I followed it), and trades between Sarah and Haddings's perspectives. Sarah has to deal with her recovery after having brain surgery and the fact that she once had a crush on this teacher, while Haddings has to deal with the aftermath of what he's done and Sarah's sentiments. It's a story of forgiveness and moving on, but admittedly, I had issues with this story.
For one, the story's written in a very stilted, brief style. While it feels very easy to read (and quick to move through), it lacks development and fleshing out for the weight of the story's subject matter. I really think this book could've amounted to more than what it provided. I found also that the stilted style of the dialogue really hindered the believability of the characters. I also didn't understand why multiple characters were so focused on Sarah's appearance. It felt unnatural and weird the way it was depicted, and I didn't like the fixation at all. I did, for what it was worth, appreciate the root of the story and found it a quick perusal, but I do think it had the potential to be more than what it was. Maybe this would be a decent read for reluctant readers, but I think even then it would still need a bit more to carry it.
Overall score: 2/5 stars
For one, the story's written in a very stilted, brief style. While it feels very easy to read (and quick to move through), it lacks development and fleshing out for the weight of the story's subject matter. I really think this book could've amounted to more than what it provided. I found also that the stilted style of the dialogue really hindered the believability of the characters. I also didn't understand why multiple characters were so focused on Sarah's appearance. It felt unnatural and weird the way it was depicted, and I didn't like the fixation at all. I did, for what it was worth, appreciate the root of the story and found it a quick perusal, but I do think it had the potential to be more than what it was. Maybe this would be a decent read for reluctant readers, but I think even then it would still need a bit more to carry it.
Overall score: 2/5 stars
July 22, 2016
The Crush and the Crash
Sarah's in love with her poetry teacher, Mr. Haddings, in ways that would be considered unethical. Still, she decides to pour her heart out and writes him a letter. Unfortunately, on her way to deliver said letter, Haddings, who inadvertently looked at his cellphone, runs her over with his car. The story takes us through the following two days post accident. And how both Sarah and Haddings, must come to terms with what happened.
Hit seems like the kind of story that would have benefit immensely from having more than two point-of-views. Sarah's parents were uncomfortable being around each other, her brother was too preoccupied with looks while her best friend found solace being near him. But Mr. Haddings wasn't allowed to approach the family and Sarah was... injured. So the untold stories lingered int he air. If only the flashbacks would have gone deeper than poetry and claim that five star rating.
Grover based Hit on a true story, and encourages us to follow The Red Thumb Reminder and paint our nail red as a warning not to text and drive. Let's make a difference.
Sarah's in love with her poetry teacher, Mr. Haddings, in ways that would be considered unethical. Still, she decides to pour her heart out and writes him a letter. Unfortunately, on her way to deliver said letter, Haddings, who inadvertently looked at his cellphone, runs her over with his car. The story takes us through the following two days post accident. And how both Sarah and Haddings, must come to terms with what happened.
Hit seems like the kind of story that would have benefit immensely from having more than two point-of-views. Sarah's parents were uncomfortable being around each other, her brother was too preoccupied with looks while her best friend found solace being near him. But Mr. Haddings wasn't allowed to approach the family and Sarah was... injured. So the untold stories lingered int he air. If only the flashbacks would have gone deeper than poetry and claim that five star rating.
Grover based Hit on a true story, and encourages us to follow The Red Thumb Reminder and paint our nail red as a warning not to text and drive. Let's make a difference.
January 6, 2015
Well someone wants to be Gayle Forman so bad it hurts.
Updated 10/13/14:
Read This Review & More Like It At Ageless Pages Reviews
Hit is a combination of If I Stay and a Lifetime original movie about student teacher relationships. The premise sounded intriguing, and I think it has promise, but unfortunately the execution is lacking. The prose didn’t resonate with me because it was marred by sophomoric writing. Metaphors were mixed, dialogue was stilted, and scenes were hard to visualize due to clunky descriptors. (“Her wild black bun bobs around her head like a boxer’s fist”.) Characters in this book say each other's names more in one scene than I say my husband's in a month.
Not only is that lazy exposition, regarding Chantelle, it’s all redundant and boring to read. There are instances of characters licking their own cheeks and American characters using “flat” for apartment. I could forgive some of these issues, but not all of them, not from an author publishing for ten years.
I wanted some mystery to Sarah and Haddings’ relationship, but the dual POVs very quickly remove any suspense. Haddings is an unreliable narrator, but stalking the girl, sending her red roses, being disappointed at her ultimate choice, all point to his true feelings. If it had only been Sarah’s point of view, especially with the false memories from her trauma, it might have lent the book some depth. Or not, considering how little their relationship actually plays into their lives.
I also think the book takes place on too small a scale. There are no legal ramifications, no real emotional struggles. The book only takes place over three days. Everything happens too fast, too neatly. There’s too much emphasis is placed on how hideous Sarah looks after her surgery, but not enough on her possible brain damage. I would say 90% of her and her mother’s interactions are about Sarah’s ruined beauty.
The end was the biggest disappointment. As I said, it’s too neat. Characters undergo insane amounts of growth and discover forgiveness through faith in an unnatural way. And then there’s the paragraph where Sarah actually sums up all of the literary ideas in the story. Well it’ll make it easy for anyone who’s writing a book report.
In the end, the book doesn’t work for me at all. I wish it did, but unfortunately I recommend a pass.
Updated 10/13/14:
Read This Review & More Like It At Ageless Pages Reviews
Hit is a combination of If I Stay and a Lifetime original movie about student teacher relationships. The premise sounded intriguing, and I think it has promise, but unfortunately the execution is lacking. The prose didn’t resonate with me because it was marred by sophomoric writing. Metaphors were mixed, dialogue was stilted, and scenes were hard to visualize due to clunky descriptors. (“Her wild black bun bobs around her head like a boxer’s fist”.) Characters in this book say each other's names more in one scene than I say my husband's in a month.
“It’s going to be all right, Luke, …Oh, Cydni and her mother, Chantelle are here?... Sarah is going to be fine, Janet,” …
“Mark, listen --”
“Have you seen Sarah or the doctor?”
“Yes, Mark. … Sarah’s having brain surgery.”
Not only is that lazy exposition, regarding Chantelle, it’s all redundant and boring to read. There are instances of characters licking their own cheeks and American characters using “flat” for apartment. I could forgive some of these issues, but not all of them, not from an author publishing for ten years.
I wanted some mystery to Sarah and Haddings’ relationship, but the dual POVs very quickly remove any suspense. Haddings is an unreliable narrator, but stalking the girl, sending her red roses, being disappointed at her ultimate choice, all point to his true feelings. If it had only been Sarah’s point of view, especially with the false memories from her trauma, it might have lent the book some depth. Or not, considering how little their relationship actually plays into their lives.
I also think the book takes place on too small a scale. There are no legal ramifications, no real emotional struggles. The book only takes place over three days. Everything happens too fast, too neatly. There’s too much emphasis is placed on how hideous Sarah looks after her surgery, but not enough on her possible brain damage. I would say 90% of her and her mother’s interactions are about Sarah’s ruined beauty.
The end was the biggest disappointment. As I said, it’s too neat. Characters undergo insane amounts of growth and discover forgiveness through faith in an unnatural way. And then there’s the paragraph where Sarah actually sums up all of the literary ideas in the story. Well it’ll make it easy for anyone who’s writing a book report.
In the end, the book doesn’t work for me at all. I wish it did, but unfortunately I recommend a pass.
September 12, 2014
Hit is a face paced, emotional roller coaster in which we find out what a difference a split second can make in someone's life.
The young protagonist is in love with her poetry teacher and ironically he is the one who "hits" her. Little background about me, I am a teacher and I feel sick to my stomach when I read books with any sort of student-teacher romance. However, once I got over the student-teacher "relationship" part, I was pleasantly surprised by this book. Hit's timeline is only three days, a whole book devoted to three days. You would think it would feel long winded and boring but that is totally not the case. It is an extremely easy read and easily a one sitting type of book. There is nothing too complex going on and a relatively simple plot. However, I found a lot of beauty in this story. Whether it be the fact that the poetry teacher faces his students' family after the accident, or a brother who realizes how much he loves his sister, or a family that realizes what is important in life.
The young protagonist is in love with her poetry teacher and ironically he is the one who "hits" her. Little background about me, I am a teacher and I feel sick to my stomach when I read books with any sort of student-teacher romance. However, once I got over the student-teacher "relationship" part, I was pleasantly surprised by this book. Hit's timeline is only three days, a whole book devoted to three days. You would think it would feel long winded and boring but that is totally not the case. It is an extremely easy read and easily a one sitting type of book. There is nothing too complex going on and a relatively simple plot. However, I found a lot of beauty in this story. Whether it be the fact that the poetry teacher faces his students' family after the accident, or a brother who realizes how much he loves his sister, or a family that realizes what is important in life.
November 2, 2014
This is the second book I have read by this author. Just like the first one, I really could not stop reading this book. I felt all of the raw emotions that the characters were experiencing through the whole sad situation. I like that the family was not out for blood and justice but actually thought about Haddings as a person too. Everything that everyone said or did in the story whether good or bad was real. Another thing that I enjoyed about this book is that the crush that Sarah had on Haddings did not take center stage. So there was no creepy vibes happening in the story. Also, I have to admit that when I read stories with poems in it that sometimes I tend to skip them as I just don't really get them. I read every poem in this book. They were great and did help tell the story. I look forward to reading the next book by this author. "Hit" was a hit with me.
January 14, 2019
The writing in this book is TERRIBLE.
I have no idea how this got published, like seriously, did a six year old write this?!
The book could have been good, but is totally wrecked by the authors very childish and simple writing style.
I have no idea how this got published, like seriously, did a six year old write this?!
The book could have been good, but is totally wrecked by the authors very childish and simple writing style.
November 28, 2025
>>1.5/5★<<
I read Hit on a whim. I had never heard of it before and I decided to buy it despite the low Goodreads rating because it was only a few bucks, pretty short, and I was intrigued by the plot line. Hit is a story about a senior in high school named Sarah who has a crush on the new poetry instructor who is a student teacher from the University of Washington. She starts declaring her feelings through the poetry they share in class- Sarah believes that Mr. Haddings is attracted to her as well and she's determined to get him to show it. That is until she's hit by a car one morning on her way to school and she later learns the driver was Mr. Haddings himself.
Oof. Where to begin with this one. We'll start with the positives, of which there aren't many. I love a book with short, succinct chapters and this one had that. It made for a fast reading experience and I was grateful for that in the end. I enjoyed the addition of the poems that were peppered throughout the story. One at the very end by Dante Aligheri really spoke to me. If not for this book it's likely I'd never have stumbled upon it since I rarely read poetry and classic poetry even less.
After finishing this book, and long before finishing it if I'm being honest, I understood why Hit has gotten pretty low ratings across the board. First of all, this book was published by a Christian publisher. There is absolutely nothing wrong with being Chrtistian, I myself relate closely to Christians, but books that are published by Christian publishers are very rarely going to appeal to me. If I had known this going in I wouldn't have even bothered picking this up. I like morally gray characters who make questionable decisions. I'm the type of reader who roots for the villain. These squeaky clean books that exist simply to teach a lesson are just not for me. The dialogue between the characters in this book from the teenagers to the parents to the doctors and nurses was so ridiculous I thought my eyeballs were going to get stuck in my head from rolling them so much. No one actually talks like this. And if they do then they're doing it somewhere far away from me because it was both extremely corny at times and overly rude and unrealistic at others. I work in nursing and the way the doctors and nurses were speaking to the patient and parents in this book just would not have happened in real life. The dialogue was created just to drive an idea home or to further the plot and while that is generally the case it was done very poorly and obviously in this book. The mother was absurd, the brother was so immature and said the dumbest things I've literally ever heard and Sarah's internal dialogue was literally painful to read. The only semi-reasonable character was the dad and he was supposed to play the part of inattentive and self-absorbed so the mother could bitch at him constantly yet that was a fail because he's the only one I actually liked! When I got to the end of this story just to discover that the entire thing was meant to be a learning experience for the reader I was pissed. I felt duped, I'm not gonna lie. It was like when you tell your dog you're going for a ride in the car to get ice cream and take him to the vet instead. The ultimate betrayal.
I don't recommend this book. Even if this book was published by a run-of-the-mill publisher and you eliminate the fact that the entire story is told just to share a message of virtue- the book is still bad for every other reason. Hit is so corny and unrealistic and the promised taboo topics were actually PG and nothing happened. The car accident left Sarah very banged up and literally half of the book was her lamenting the fact that she was now ugly while her brother very descriptively insulted her and compared her to slimy toads and other animals. Of course thats only until she discovers that beauty is really on the inside- ugggh. No thanks. I think I saw somewhere that this author is supposed to be an award-winning writer and all I can say to that is she must have gotten those awards for some other book because this one certainly isn't worthy of anything, not even the few bucks I paid for it.
I read Hit on a whim. I had never heard of it before and I decided to buy it despite the low Goodreads rating because it was only a few bucks, pretty short, and I was intrigued by the plot line. Hit is a story about a senior in high school named Sarah who has a crush on the new poetry instructor who is a student teacher from the University of Washington. She starts declaring her feelings through the poetry they share in class- Sarah believes that Mr. Haddings is attracted to her as well and she's determined to get him to show it. That is until she's hit by a car one morning on her way to school and she later learns the driver was Mr. Haddings himself.
Oof. Where to begin with this one. We'll start with the positives, of which there aren't many. I love a book with short, succinct chapters and this one had that. It made for a fast reading experience and I was grateful for that in the end. I enjoyed the addition of the poems that were peppered throughout the story. One at the very end by Dante Aligheri really spoke to me. If not for this book it's likely I'd never have stumbled upon it since I rarely read poetry and classic poetry even less.
After finishing this book, and long before finishing it if I'm being honest, I understood why Hit has gotten pretty low ratings across the board. First of all, this book was published by a Christian publisher. There is absolutely nothing wrong with being Chrtistian, I myself relate closely to Christians, but books that are published by Christian publishers are very rarely going to appeal to me. If I had known this going in I wouldn't have even bothered picking this up. I like morally gray characters who make questionable decisions. I'm the type of reader who roots for the villain. These squeaky clean books that exist simply to teach a lesson are just not for me. The dialogue between the characters in this book from the teenagers to the parents to the doctors and nurses was so ridiculous I thought my eyeballs were going to get stuck in my head from rolling them so much. No one actually talks like this. And if they do then they're doing it somewhere far away from me because it was both extremely corny at times and overly rude and unrealistic at others. I work in nursing and the way the doctors and nurses were speaking to the patient and parents in this book just would not have happened in real life. The dialogue was created just to drive an idea home or to further the plot and while that is generally the case it was done very poorly and obviously in this book. The mother was absurd, the brother was so immature and said the dumbest things I've literally ever heard and Sarah's internal dialogue was literally painful to read. The only semi-reasonable character was the dad and he was supposed to play the part of inattentive and self-absorbed so the mother could bitch at him constantly yet that was a fail because he's the only one I actually liked! When I got to the end of this story just to discover that the entire thing was meant to be a learning experience for the reader I was pissed. I felt duped, I'm not gonna lie. It was like when you tell your dog you're going for a ride in the car to get ice cream and take him to the vet instead. The ultimate betrayal.
I don't recommend this book. Even if this book was published by a run-of-the-mill publisher and you eliminate the fact that the entire story is told just to share a message of virtue- the book is still bad for every other reason. Hit is so corny and unrealistic and the promised taboo topics were actually PG and nothing happened. The car accident left Sarah very banged up and literally half of the book was her lamenting the fact that she was now ugly while her brother very descriptively insulted her and compared her to slimy toads and other animals. Of course thats only until she discovers that beauty is really on the inside- ugggh. No thanks. I think I saw somewhere that this author is supposed to be an award-winning writer and all I can say to that is she must have gotten those awards for some other book because this one certainly isn't worthy of anything, not even the few bucks I paid for it.
January 5, 2016
Earning a full-ride to Mills College for Girls seems to be the best thing that has ever happened to Sarah… until her heart falls in love making her doubt her decision. When she first met Mr. Haddings, Sarah had no idea how much he would change her future, making her consider his school UW as a prospective school. Meanwhile her heart goes fond of him, using his poetry class to express her love for him, but he is not blind and knows her feelings. Everything changes when Mr. Haddings’s attention is not on the road or the girl in the crosswalk. Now both lives will be changed, but can it ever be the same between Sarah and Mr. Haddings?
Similar to the love relationship between Aria Montgomery and Ezra Fitz from Pretty Little Liars, Hit by Lorie Ann Grover is told through alternating first-person perspective between Sarah and Mr. Haddings. By hearing from the characters personally, the genuine feelings are reflected through their writings. I do not cry during books, but this was one of the three books that has ever made me cry. I highly recommend to anyone interested in the teacher-student relationship in Pretty Little Liars as Lorie Ann Grover offers a more in-depth exploration of the topic.
Originally posted at: http://www.teenink.com/reviews/hot_ne...
Free advanced reader copy received from TeenInk in exchange for an honest review.
Similar to the love relationship between Aria Montgomery and Ezra Fitz from Pretty Little Liars, Hit by Lorie Ann Grover is told through alternating first-person perspective between Sarah and Mr. Haddings. By hearing from the characters personally, the genuine feelings are reflected through their writings. I do not cry during books, but this was one of the three books that has ever made me cry. I highly recommend to anyone interested in the teacher-student relationship in Pretty Little Liars as Lorie Ann Grover offers a more in-depth exploration of the topic.
Originally posted at: http://www.teenink.com/reviews/hot_ne...
Free advanced reader copy received from TeenInk in exchange for an honest review.
October 7, 2014
I loved (if I can say that) that this book was based on true events that a friend of the author went through. I was drawn into the story immediately. Sarah is a likable character and though she is mature, she still thinks like a teenager. This made the story more real to me. I enjoyed that the story was told from both Sarah and Haddings' points-of-view. I felt the pain of what each character went through emotionally.
I think that when you read a book and are able to place yourself into more than one of the character's shoes, that is very impressive. I saw myself in the young girl of Sarah. I saw myself as the driver who is temporarily distracted. (I've never hit anyone! But all drivers do get distracted...) I saw myself as the overprotective mom. I saw myself as the overprotective friend. This made me get totally into the story. I read the book very quickly because I couldn't put it down.
I recommend this book for readers: who enjoy clean reads, novels based on true events, contemporary young adult novels.
I think that when you read a book and are able to place yourself into more than one of the character's shoes, that is very impressive. I saw myself in the young girl of Sarah. I saw myself as the driver who is temporarily distracted. (I've never hit anyone! But all drivers do get distracted...) I saw myself as the overprotective mom. I saw myself as the overprotective friend. This made me get totally into the story. I read the book very quickly because I couldn't put it down.
I recommend this book for readers: who enjoy clean reads, novels based on true events, contemporary young adult novels.
October 7, 2014
Beautifully written, Lorie Ann Grover has crafted a gorgeous tale of how one moment can sideswipe all your plans. One moment can force you to reexamine what is important in life...and the importance of life itself. And at times, her poetic language itself will sideswipe you as you read, leaving you gasping: How did she know? At with the very last breath of this book, you'll be grateful that you read this since chances are, you'll be hit with joy.
December 19, 2017
i only picked it up because i have a student/teacher thing and unfortunately this was the absolute worst execution of student/teacher i've ever seen. she has no idea how he feels about him... he breaks up with her through a poem... and yet she was caught in between his legs, biting her lip, in the middle of a high school? my ass. 🙄 what in the hell did one single character even look like and what were their interests besides an obsession with poorly written poetry and the same classic poetry everyone "loves." it's like Grover was never actually a high school girl.
also can someone please tell me why Sarah's younger brother was literally only consumed by how she looked and then by her best friend? not an ounce of genuine concern. trash. world's flattest characters.
"oh Cydni & her mother, Chantelle, are here?"
WHO WRITES LIKE THAT
also can someone please tell me why Sarah's younger brother was literally only consumed by how she looked and then by her best friend? not an ounce of genuine concern. trash. world's flattest characters.
"oh Cydni & her mother, Chantelle, are here?"
WHO WRITES LIKE THAT
May 29, 2022
It's not that good but it's not that bad either. Maybe typical plots and story line? At least that's what I thought when I finished this book.
Hit is really a story about a teenage girl, Sarah McCormick, who got hit by a car drove by the young teacher she had a crush on, Mr. Haddings. Like I said, typical. The plots mostly about Haddings' overwhelming guilt, Sarah's inner monologues, her parents' squabbles and sometimes, some poem lines (because Haddings was a poem teacher and Sarah loved art and creative writings). Once again, typical.
This book didn't bring me much good plots but it's okay. Probably a typical read for young adults.
Hit is really a story about a teenage girl, Sarah McCormick, who got hit by a car drove by the young teacher she had a crush on, Mr. Haddings. Like I said, typical. The plots mostly about Haddings' overwhelming guilt, Sarah's inner monologues, her parents' squabbles and sometimes, some poem lines (because Haddings was a poem teacher and Sarah loved art and creative writings). Once again, typical.
This book didn't bring me much good plots but it's okay. Probably a typical read for young adults.
April 27, 2015
Sarah, a highschool student, is hit by a car on her way to poetry class. In her pocket is a poem to Mr. Haddings, her poetry teacher, whom she is crushing on. When Mr. Haddings accidentally hits his student while driving to work, he has to decide if he will acknowledge his growing attraction to her or continue to act professionally as he has been doing all year.
What first drew me to this book is the lovely cover, so beautiful and hinting about the romantic tragedy within.
This book was okay, not amazing though. It's told from two different perspectives, those of Sarah and Mr. Haddings, which right away gave me a headache, because it takes a very special author with a very good story to pull off dual POVs. It's badly done really; shifting POVs multiple times within one conversation is a no-no in my book.
The random flashbacks don't help either.
The pacing is far too slow, and the plot is one-dimesional. The story takes place over three days, and goes into great detail about the hospitalization of Sarah after the accident. I mean, really exceptional detail- the feeling like you're peeing during CAT scans, the surgery, the waiting room, the catheter, the stitches oozing, the bedpan awkwardness, the vomiting. So many different people threw up in this book that I lost count! Ew. If you like E.R. and Grey's Anatomy, you might like this book!
I did not like that Haddings character was used to basically eavesdrop on Sarah's family. If you needed to write about Sarah's family, then why not use a POV from the family? It made me dislike Haddings character in the beginning.
The characters are deep and complicated, all with different reactions to a crisis. Very realistic and interesting to see how they develop. As they interact and react to the situation, we learn more about them. (For instance, at first I thought Sarah's father must be lazy and unreliable, based on the mother's responses to him; but later on I realized that that is not his character at all. It's the mother who is too overbearing and critical.)
I got very confused about the level of spirituality in Sarah's family. They mention God and prayer, but don't seem to really rely on God during the crisis. They get angry, are hateful, and out of control, and don't seem to care that their actions and attitudes are sinful. They don't even attempt to comfort or evangelize a frightened young man who needs their forgiveness. So are they Christians? or what? Is this a Christian book, or just a regular book with five references to God thrown in by the editor?
Personally, I found myself bored and impatient with the plot, but interested and invested in the characters themselves. It's a great character study, but the story itself needs work.
Disclosure: I received this book free from the publisher or author for review. The opinions stated here are my own, and are not influenced by the publisher or anyone else.
What first drew me to this book is the lovely cover, so beautiful and hinting about the romantic tragedy within.
This book was okay, not amazing though. It's told from two different perspectives, those of Sarah and Mr. Haddings, which right away gave me a headache, because it takes a very special author with a very good story to pull off dual POVs. It's badly done really; shifting POVs multiple times within one conversation is a no-no in my book.
The random flashbacks don't help either.
The pacing is far too slow, and the plot is one-dimesional. The story takes place over three days, and goes into great detail about the hospitalization of Sarah after the accident. I mean, really exceptional detail- the feeling like you're peeing during CAT scans, the surgery, the waiting room, the catheter, the stitches oozing, the bedpan awkwardness, the vomiting. So many different people threw up in this book that I lost count! Ew. If you like E.R. and Grey's Anatomy, you might like this book!
I did not like that Haddings character was used to basically eavesdrop on Sarah's family. If you needed to write about Sarah's family, then why not use a POV from the family? It made me dislike Haddings character in the beginning.
The characters are deep and complicated, all with different reactions to a crisis. Very realistic and interesting to see how they develop. As they interact and react to the situation, we learn more about them. (For instance, at first I thought Sarah's father must be lazy and unreliable, based on the mother's responses to him; but later on I realized that that is not his character at all. It's the mother who is too overbearing and critical.)
I got very confused about the level of spirituality in Sarah's family. They mention God and prayer, but don't seem to really rely on God during the crisis. They get angry, are hateful, and out of control, and don't seem to care that their actions and attitudes are sinful. They don't even attempt to comfort or evangelize a frightened young man who needs their forgiveness. So are they Christians? or what? Is this a Christian book, or just a regular book with five references to God thrown in by the editor?
Personally, I found myself bored and impatient with the plot, but interested and invested in the characters themselves. It's a great character study, but the story itself needs work.
Disclosure: I received this book free from the publisher or author for review. The opinions stated here are my own, and are not influenced by the publisher or anyone else.
September 25, 2014
3.5 Stars
I went into this book with good expectations, even though I hadn't heard anything about Grover's writing before. Unfortunately, while there were certainly some good aspects of the book, I didn't enjoy it as much as I had hoped. The novel follows Sarah McCormick, a teenager who has strong feelings for her student teacher and is convinced his feelings are mutual. She writes Mr. Haddings a poem declaring her feelings and plans to deliver it to him as soon as she arrives at school, but on her way to school, she's hit by a car...and the driver happens to be Mr. Haddings.
First off, I enjoyed the POV structure. The story alternates between Sarah and Mr. Haddings' first person narratives, which helps the reader get both perspectives on the accident. I also adored some of the side characters, especially Sarah's brother, Luke. He was entertaining, and I laughed aloud at the scene when he doesn't want to admit he loves his sister, although he clearly does. While I thought the writing was a bit juvenile, I did appreciate the poems woven throughout the book! I always love a good poem, and I thought the ones in this book helped add to the story. I also thought Grover did a great job utilizing pathos and connecting to the reader's emotions - I truly felt Sarah's physical pain.
Unfortunately, I didn't connect to the characters very well. I felt as if they were one dimensional and not very developed. Also, I thought the whole teacher-student "relationship" was slightly uncomfortable. It doesn't go anywhere and Mr. Haddings claims he doesn't lead Sarah on...but still. However, while I can't say the book became a new favorite, I enjoyed it enough that I'm curious about Grover's other books. It's a super quick read that I read in a day, and if you're a fan of contemporary YA novels, you might enjoy it. Plus, the cover is beautiful :)
Thanks to the publisher for providing an ARC copy in exchange for my honest review.
I went into this book with good expectations, even though I hadn't heard anything about Grover's writing before. Unfortunately, while there were certainly some good aspects of the book, I didn't enjoy it as much as I had hoped. The novel follows Sarah McCormick, a teenager who has strong feelings for her student teacher and is convinced his feelings are mutual. She writes Mr. Haddings a poem declaring her feelings and plans to deliver it to him as soon as she arrives at school, but on her way to school, she's hit by a car...and the driver happens to be Mr. Haddings.
First off, I enjoyed the POV structure. The story alternates between Sarah and Mr. Haddings' first person narratives, which helps the reader get both perspectives on the accident. I also adored some of the side characters, especially Sarah's brother, Luke. He was entertaining, and I laughed aloud at the scene when he doesn't want to admit he loves his sister, although he clearly does. While I thought the writing was a bit juvenile, I did appreciate the poems woven throughout the book! I always love a good poem, and I thought the ones in this book helped add to the story. I also thought Grover did a great job utilizing pathos and connecting to the reader's emotions - I truly felt Sarah's physical pain.
Unfortunately, I didn't connect to the characters very well. I felt as if they were one dimensional and not very developed. Also, I thought the whole teacher-student "relationship" was slightly uncomfortable. It doesn't go anywhere and Mr. Haddings claims he doesn't lead Sarah on...but still. However, while I can't say the book became a new favorite, I enjoyed it enough that I'm curious about Grover's other books. It's a super quick read that I read in a day, and if you're a fan of contemporary YA novels, you might enjoy it. Plus, the cover is beautiful :)
Thanks to the publisher for providing an ARC copy in exchange for my honest review.
Read
September 3, 2014Release date: October 7, 2014
Life can change in an instant. One moment on a rain morning changes everything for Sarah and Haddings.
Sarah, a senior in high school with a full-ride scholarship at her fingertips, heads to catch the bus. A poem is tucked in her pocket expressing her true feelings to a young college student practice teaching in her poetry class. When that poem slips to the ground, she steps off the curb to retrieve it and she is struck by an oncoming car.
Friends and family follow Sarah to the hospital as she fights for her life. The police investigate the accident and question the driver who happens to be the young man Sarah's poem addresses. Haddings tells the police he didn't see Sarah in the rain, but he must come to terms with the fact that he had taken his eyes off the road for a moment and may have ended the life of a truly gifted student.
HIT takes readers into the minds of Sarah and Haddings as they deal with the tragic results of the accident. Sarah's parents and friends sit by her side as she undergoes surgery and grapples with her injuries. Haddings struggles to decide his best course of action after the accident. Should he face Sarah and her parents and apologize or should he stay away and give them time to heal?
Lorie Ann Grover's newest book HIT deals with forgiveness and recovery. When a trusted someone makes a horrible mistake should they be forgiven or forgotten? Grover takes her readers on an emotional journey in which two people must come to terms with a shared tragedy and figure out how best to carry on.
Life can change in an instant. One moment on a rain morning changes everything for Sarah and Haddings.
Sarah, a senior in high school with a full-ride scholarship at her fingertips, heads to catch the bus. A poem is tucked in her pocket expressing her true feelings to a young college student practice teaching in her poetry class. When that poem slips to the ground, she steps off the curb to retrieve it and she is struck by an oncoming car.
Friends and family follow Sarah to the hospital as she fights for her life. The police investigate the accident and question the driver who happens to be the young man Sarah's poem addresses. Haddings tells the police he didn't see Sarah in the rain, but he must come to terms with the fact that he had taken his eyes off the road for a moment and may have ended the life of a truly gifted student.
HIT takes readers into the minds of Sarah and Haddings as they deal with the tragic results of the accident. Sarah's parents and friends sit by her side as she undergoes surgery and grapples with her injuries. Haddings struggles to decide his best course of action after the accident. Should he face Sarah and her parents and apologize or should he stay away and give them time to heal?
Lorie Ann Grover's newest book HIT deals with forgiveness and recovery. When a trusted someone makes a horrible mistake should they be forgiven or forgotten? Grover takes her readers on an emotional journey in which two people must come to terms with a shared tragedy and figure out how best to carry on.
Read
August 21, 2020I found out about this novel through an ad/ promotional video through Book Riot and it sounded interesting. It was also super short so I decided to check it out. I was disappointed. The novel had an interesting premise: a girl who has a huge crush on her poetry teacher gets hit by a car... driven by the teacher. The novel is narrated between the two main characters so you get both the teacher's and the girl's perspective. The plot thread gets weak fast, the dialogue isn't very good, and there is too much melodrama for my taste. The worst part of it though was how the theme seemed to jump out of the book and whack the reader on the head--no subtlety here-- which gave it a real 'agenda pushing' or didactic feel.
December 25, 2014
A quick read that was an exercise in patience; the ending was ultimately unsatisfying after listening to Sarah's family whine and blame a guy who had absolutely no control over what happened the whole book. Humans are imperfect, and this book is a good yet annoying illustration of the type of people who refuse to forgive such imperfections, yet, were they in his shoes, they would likely demand forgiveness themselves. I understand the emotion that goes hand-in-hand with such unforgiveness and the powerful need to blame someone, but this was just retarded, and all the more so because some people actually act like this in real life.
July 11, 2016
This book centres around the immediate consequences of a car accident, and for someone as squeamish as I am there was wayyyy too much detail included.
The writing style wasn't the greatest, although I have to give points for the way Grover switched between present tense and past tense. That's something that usually isn't done too well.
I don't know. This book wasn't what I was hoping for. I felt like the characters were way too melodramatic and it felt like it was written for a younger audience, whilst the detail about surgery and the wounds etc would be too much for younger people?
A pretty disappointing read for me, to tell the truth.
The writing style wasn't the greatest, although I have to give points for the way Grover switched between present tense and past tense. That's something that usually isn't done too well.
I don't know. This book wasn't what I was hoping for. I felt like the characters were way too melodramatic and it felt like it was written for a younger audience, whilst the detail about surgery and the wounds etc would be too much for younger people?
A pretty disappointing read for me, to tell the truth.
September 5, 2014
This book was one of the best that I have read in a long time. I loved the fact that it was inspired by a true story made it even better, you can go to Lorie Ann Grover and read the idea behind this book. I liked how was written in a timeline form, and how each chapter was taken from the two main characters: Sarah and Mr. Haddings. So one chapter would be Sarah point of view and the next chapter would be Mr. Haddings point of view. This book kept me on the edge of my seat, and made me want to keep reading. I honestly did not want to put this book down.
September 9, 2014
Hit by Lorie Ann Grover is a fast intense read. The story is made more real by the fact that its based off of something that happen to the authors daughters best friend. I really enjoyed the story but I just wish that it was a bit longer. More fleshed out I guess. I felt like I needed more. More of a back story and more of an ending. But then without those things it makes you focus more on the accident itself and thats what this whole book is about.
4 out of 5. An enjoyable Afternoon Snack.
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4 out of 5. An enjoyable Afternoon Snack.
http://afternoonsnackcbr.blogspot.com...
November 28, 2014
1. The dialogue was awful. No one talks like that.
2. The plot was awful. Literally nothing happens.
3. The characters weren't likeable. I wanted to punch the mom every time she spoke.
4. The only reason I kept reading this book was to see what happened in the end.
5. The ending wasn't only slightly worth it. Like a 2/5 worth it.
6. She got out of the hospital in three days?! What the what!?
7. There was so much hype about this book, so I am greatly disappointed.
8. So pointless!!!!
2. The plot was awful. Literally nothing happens.
3. The characters weren't likeable. I wanted to punch the mom every time she spoke.
4. The only reason I kept reading this book was to see what happened in the end.
5. The ending wasn't only slightly worth it. Like a 2/5 worth it.
6. She got out of the hospital in three days?! What the what!?
7. There was so much hype about this book, so I am greatly disappointed.
8. So pointless!!!!
June 5, 2015
Nice and light simple read. I didn't expect much going into it and wasn't surprised at all. It was a generic romance.I didn't like how there was no character or plot built up or background. But, it's nice to pick up if you want something quick.
June 30, 2015
I was quite suprised by this book. I need to figure out my feelings about it. Full review to come at a later date.
September 6, 2014
Hang on to your seat! Lorie Ann Grover delivers a fast-pace story that will keep you on the edge. A tale of love and forgiveness, Hit is a sweet story that will warm your heart.
November 9, 2014
I almost gave up on this one halfway through because I was not connecting with any of the characters but the ending saved it for me. Full review to come.
April 6, 2020
My favorite quote would be:
“Blessings are always tucked inside difficulties”
“Blessings are always tucked inside difficulties”
December 20, 2017
Title: Hit
Author: Lorie Ann Grover
Age Group: Teen/Young Adult
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Series: Standalone
Star Rating: 1 out of 5 Stars
I borrowed this book from my local library and reviewed it.
This book was the December pick for one of the library book clubs I go to, and to say that I was leery is an understatement. I don’t necessarily mind books that bring religion into the narrative, especially if it doesn’t take over. But Hit just really fell flat for me. The concept of the plot was interesting, and I liked that the book went between Sarah and Haddings, but a lot of the characters seemed really flat and one-dimensional. The pacing was kind of slow, though I really liked the format. I don’t know, I was expecting more from this intriguing little book, but honestly it just wasn’t for me. The prose was often so overwrought I found myself rolling my eyes or wanting to rip my hair out, and honestly the idea of Sarah being in a relationship with an older mentor who was supposed to be looking out for her best interests seemed a little far-fetched, even for a young adult novel. I don’t know, I just wasn’t feeling this book; it really fell short for me.
Sarah is a girl who longs to be seen as more than just a teenage girl; she wants to be acknowledged as an adult and a person in her own right. She’s sick of her parents controlling her every move, and of being treated like a child. She barely feels understood even by her closest friend. But when she meets the charismatic, handsome Mr. Haddings, she immediately feels as if she’s known him for more than just a semester. And despite his protests, she knows that he feels the same spark. But all of her hopes are shattered when she gets hit by a car, a car that is driven by the man she feels so drawn to. Broken and nearly beaten, Sarah must find a way back to herself, even through unimaginable tragedy, and Haddings must find a way to make his unforgivable actions right, even as he fights his attraction to a girl out to his reach.
As I said previously, this book… There were just a lot of problems with it. First of all, a lot of the prose was just so ridiculous. It went from spare and simplistic to melodramatic and eyeroll inducing, and the change in language was distracting. Most of the characters, even Haddings and Sarah, seemed flat, never going so far as to be characters in my mind; I couldn’t even mentally hear their voices. The relationship between Sarah and Haddings seemed more predatory than anything else. And the car crash seemed to just amplify that they were poorly drawn characters; it felt like Sarah was obsessed with her teacher, which could’ve been forgiven if said teacher had actually attempted to rebuff her advances. And for the most part, I didn’t mind the religious undertones, but there were times when it seemed to overtake the whole book. I don’t know what I was expecting, but it was definitely more than the result. It could’ve been good, but it just was… meh. It was a brave attempt at a contemporary coming of age story with a mystery at its center, but Hit just wasn’t for me. The bottom line: Flat characters, overwrought dialogue, and a ridiculous forbidden romance made Hit a book that I didn’t like; I wanted to, but it just wasn’t for me. Next on deck: All the Crooked Saints by Maggie Stiefvater!
literatureobsessed.blogspot.com
Author: Lorie Ann Grover
Age Group: Teen/Young Adult
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Series: Standalone
Star Rating: 1 out of 5 Stars
I borrowed this book from my local library and reviewed it.
This book was the December pick for one of the library book clubs I go to, and to say that I was leery is an understatement. I don’t necessarily mind books that bring religion into the narrative, especially if it doesn’t take over. But Hit just really fell flat for me. The concept of the plot was interesting, and I liked that the book went between Sarah and Haddings, but a lot of the characters seemed really flat and one-dimensional. The pacing was kind of slow, though I really liked the format. I don’t know, I was expecting more from this intriguing little book, but honestly it just wasn’t for me. The prose was often so overwrought I found myself rolling my eyes or wanting to rip my hair out, and honestly the idea of Sarah being in a relationship with an older mentor who was supposed to be looking out for her best interests seemed a little far-fetched, even for a young adult novel. I don’t know, I just wasn’t feeling this book; it really fell short for me.
Sarah is a girl who longs to be seen as more than just a teenage girl; she wants to be acknowledged as an adult and a person in her own right. She’s sick of her parents controlling her every move, and of being treated like a child. She barely feels understood even by her closest friend. But when she meets the charismatic, handsome Mr. Haddings, she immediately feels as if she’s known him for more than just a semester. And despite his protests, she knows that he feels the same spark. But all of her hopes are shattered when she gets hit by a car, a car that is driven by the man she feels so drawn to. Broken and nearly beaten, Sarah must find a way back to herself, even through unimaginable tragedy, and Haddings must find a way to make his unforgivable actions right, even as he fights his attraction to a girl out to his reach.
As I said previously, this book… There were just a lot of problems with it. First of all, a lot of the prose was just so ridiculous. It went from spare and simplistic to melodramatic and eyeroll inducing, and the change in language was distracting. Most of the characters, even Haddings and Sarah, seemed flat, never going so far as to be characters in my mind; I couldn’t even mentally hear their voices. The relationship between Sarah and Haddings seemed more predatory than anything else. And the car crash seemed to just amplify that they were poorly drawn characters; it felt like Sarah was obsessed with her teacher, which could’ve been forgiven if said teacher had actually attempted to rebuff her advances. And for the most part, I didn’t mind the religious undertones, but there were times when it seemed to overtake the whole book. I don’t know what I was expecting, but it was definitely more than the result. It could’ve been good, but it just was… meh. It was a brave attempt at a contemporary coming of age story with a mystery at its center, but Hit just wasn’t for me. The bottom line: Flat characters, overwrought dialogue, and a ridiculous forbidden romance made Hit a book that I didn’t like; I wanted to, but it just wasn’t for me. Next on deck: All the Crooked Saints by Maggie Stiefvater!
literatureobsessed.blogspot.com
November 27, 2014
For more reviews, check out: ITIO Book Reviews.
Actual Rating: 2.5
A huge thanks to Blink, Booklook Bloggers, and Lorie Ann Grover for a copy of this book! All opinions expressed in this review are my own honest opinions and they are not affected by my receiving this book for free.
Based on a true story, Hit tells the story of a young and infatuated Sarah. Even though she knows it’s wrong, she’s head-over-heels in “like” with her poetry teacher, Mr. Haddings. While he’s driving to school one rainy morning, Mr. Haddings takes his eyes off the road for a few seconds. Unfortunately, in those couple seconds, he doesn’t see Sarah crossing the road in front of him. Set over the span of three days, both Haddings’ and Sarah’s lives are turned upside down due to a tragic car accident.
MORAL RATING:
PG: Teacher/student relationship and some violence
THE GOOD:
First off, can we just talk about this cover for a second? This cover is GORGEOUS. The rain, the hair… EVERYTHING. It’s so beautiful. It probably places in my top ten of beautiful covers (and that’s saying something).
I’m always quick to request books set in Seattle because Seattle is very near and dear to my heart. Pike Place, the Space Needle, the buckets and buckets of rain… loveeee it!
This book was a relatively quick read. While I had a lot of problems with it, I was constantly questioning what was going to happen next. Whether I was held in suspense over Sarah and Haddings’ relationship or Sarah’s health, I needed to know what was going to happen! And, at the end, I felt like I still had so many questions that weren’t resolved! Ah, partial cliffhangers!
THE BAD:
There were a lot of things in this book that didn’t jive with me.
First of all, I can’t imagine how complicated and tragic it would be to have a sister or a friend go through what Sarah experienced in this novel. This book is based around the drama of the car accident. But, boy, did this book have drama. And I’m not talking about the kind of drama that is justified; this is the kind of drama that is so over-the-top that you cannot take it seriously.
I can do drama. When books over-dramatize events–no matter how tragic they are–I can’t take them seriously. Haddings, the teacher that hits Sarah, is horribly victimized by the family.
“I can’t believe the guy’s not even in jail,�� Luke mutters. “I want to smash his face with my fist. Run him down with my truck.”
“Well, I could tear his head off.” Luke thumps his heel on the carpet.
“…You made my friend look like a freaking Frankenstein, some Tim Burton character, you idiot.” She jabs me with her finger. “…you’re so stupid…it makes me sick to look at you.”
Poor guy! Hitting Sarah was a total accident and, while anger is normal, there are at least 15-20 instances of the family hurling violent threats at Haddings.
“Who would do this to my child?” [the mom] says, voice rising.
Dude, calm down. Haddings didn’t mean to hit your child. I understand anger and tragedy–believe me, I’ve been through plenty–but, the mom is a complete and total mess. She’s yelling at the people around her to stop crying, jabbing her husband in the chest, and just being a general crazy. She’s more concerned over how her daughter will look after surgery than if her daughter will even be okay after surgery. That, my friends, is unfortunate and sad.
There is this weird focus on Sarah’s beauty. After going through a car crash, no one expects you to be America’s Next Top Model glamorous. The older son, Luke, spends most of his time at his sister’s bedside talking about how hideous she looks.
“Doesn’t she look good, Luke?” Mom whispers.
“Are you kidding, Mom?” he says. “This is like a horror film.”
Wow, what a sweet, supportive brother. I tried to put myself in the character’s shoes and imagine myself as Sarah and my little brother as Luke. He’s apparently a junior in high school and he has a girlfriend. Even my little brother (who is the same age as Luke) would probably be focusing more on the fact that I am alive than on repeating how hideous I look after brain surgery. And, if Luke is that immature and treats his sister like crap, I have no clue how he’s NOT single. But, wait, here are some more:
“Can’t they cover up the grossness?” asks Luke.
“I can’t believe I couldn’t wait to see her! I just wanted to be sure she didn’t look like a freak, but she does! Look how huge her head is. Don’t you think her skin’s actually green? And those black stitches and red ones clumped with brown blood chunks. Oh, man. She looks like death. A zombie, right?”
What a bother brother.
I really wanted to like the characters, but I felt like they were all pretty selfish and rude. It’s a given that their day isn’t going well and they have a lot of stress on their shoulders, but I had a problem with nearly all of them.
The relationship between Haddings and Sarah is ambiguous. The reader understands that Sarah has feelings for Haddings, but it’s never quite clear if Haddings reciprocates these feelings. Nevertheless, he does feel a great amount of guilt from hitting her and causing her and her family so much pain. Rightly so! That being said, at the end of the day, it was all an accident. Forgiveness is important and I wish there was more of a focus on forgiveness in this novel. There are little tidbits, but also so much anger and violence.
The writing style is choppy and unorganized. It reads more for tweens than teens. It almost felt like Grover was writing down to her audience which made reading this book uncomfortable at times.
Honestly, you get my point. I don’t really want to go on…
MY VERDICT:
Overall, I’d give Hit a 2/5 heart rating. I was really hoping that I’d love this book more than I did… The poor writing and the over-dramatization completely turned me off to this book. :(
Actual Rating: 2.5
A huge thanks to Blink, Booklook Bloggers, and Lorie Ann Grover for a copy of this book! All opinions expressed in this review are my own honest opinions and they are not affected by my receiving this book for free.
Based on a true story, Hit tells the story of a young and infatuated Sarah. Even though she knows it’s wrong, she’s head-over-heels in “like” with her poetry teacher, Mr. Haddings. While he’s driving to school one rainy morning, Mr. Haddings takes his eyes off the road for a few seconds. Unfortunately, in those couple seconds, he doesn’t see Sarah crossing the road in front of him. Set over the span of three days, both Haddings’ and Sarah’s lives are turned upside down due to a tragic car accident.
MORAL RATING:
PG: Teacher/student relationship and some violence
THE GOOD:
First off, can we just talk about this cover for a second? This cover is GORGEOUS. The rain, the hair… EVERYTHING. It’s so beautiful. It probably places in my top ten of beautiful covers (and that’s saying something).
I’m always quick to request books set in Seattle because Seattle is very near and dear to my heart. Pike Place, the Space Needle, the buckets and buckets of rain… loveeee it!
This book was a relatively quick read. While I had a lot of problems with it, I was constantly questioning what was going to happen next. Whether I was held in suspense over Sarah and Haddings’ relationship or Sarah’s health, I needed to know what was going to happen! And, at the end, I felt like I still had so many questions that weren’t resolved! Ah, partial cliffhangers!
THE BAD:
There were a lot of things in this book that didn’t jive with me.
First of all, I can’t imagine how complicated and tragic it would be to have a sister or a friend go through what Sarah experienced in this novel. This book is based around the drama of the car accident. But, boy, did this book have drama. And I’m not talking about the kind of drama that is justified; this is the kind of drama that is so over-the-top that you cannot take it seriously.
I can do drama. When books over-dramatize events–no matter how tragic they are–I can’t take them seriously. Haddings, the teacher that hits Sarah, is horribly victimized by the family.
“I can’t believe the guy’s not even in jail,�� Luke mutters. “I want to smash his face with my fist. Run him down with my truck.”
“Well, I could tear his head off.” Luke thumps his heel on the carpet.
“…You made my friend look like a freaking Frankenstein, some Tim Burton character, you idiot.” She jabs me with her finger. “…you’re so stupid…it makes me sick to look at you.”
Poor guy! Hitting Sarah was a total accident and, while anger is normal, there are at least 15-20 instances of the family hurling violent threats at Haddings.
“Who would do this to my child?” [the mom] says, voice rising.
Dude, calm down. Haddings didn’t mean to hit your child. I understand anger and tragedy–believe me, I’ve been through plenty–but, the mom is a complete and total mess. She’s yelling at the people around her to stop crying, jabbing her husband in the chest, and just being a general crazy. She’s more concerned over how her daughter will look after surgery than if her daughter will even be okay after surgery. That, my friends, is unfortunate and sad.
There is this weird focus on Sarah’s beauty. After going through a car crash, no one expects you to be America’s Next Top Model glamorous. The older son, Luke, spends most of his time at his sister’s bedside talking about how hideous she looks.
“Doesn’t she look good, Luke?” Mom whispers.
“Are you kidding, Mom?” he says. “This is like a horror film.”
Wow, what a sweet, supportive brother. I tried to put myself in the character’s shoes and imagine myself as Sarah and my little brother as Luke. He’s apparently a junior in high school and he has a girlfriend. Even my little brother (who is the same age as Luke) would probably be focusing more on the fact that I am alive than on repeating how hideous I look after brain surgery. And, if Luke is that immature and treats his sister like crap, I have no clue how he’s NOT single. But, wait, here are some more:
“Can’t they cover up the grossness?” asks Luke.
“I can’t believe I couldn’t wait to see her! I just wanted to be sure she didn’t look like a freak, but she does! Look how huge her head is. Don’t you think her skin’s actually green? And those black stitches and red ones clumped with brown blood chunks. Oh, man. She looks like death. A zombie, right?”
What a bother brother.
I really wanted to like the characters, but I felt like they were all pretty selfish and rude. It’s a given that their day isn’t going well and they have a lot of stress on their shoulders, but I had a problem with nearly all of them.
The relationship between Haddings and Sarah is ambiguous. The reader understands that Sarah has feelings for Haddings, but it’s never quite clear if Haddings reciprocates these feelings. Nevertheless, he does feel a great amount of guilt from hitting her and causing her and her family so much pain. Rightly so! That being said, at the end of the day, it was all an accident. Forgiveness is important and I wish there was more of a focus on forgiveness in this novel. There are little tidbits, but also so much anger and violence.
The writing style is choppy and unorganized. It reads more for tweens than teens. It almost felt like Grover was writing down to her audience which made reading this book uncomfortable at times.
Honestly, you get my point. I don’t really want to go on…
MY VERDICT:
Overall, I’d give Hit a 2/5 heart rating. I was really hoping that I’d love this book more than I did… The poor writing and the over-dramatization completely turned me off to this book. :(
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