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En apparence, Regan Flay a tout ce dont on peut rêver. A 17 ans, elle est populaire, étudie dans l'un des meilleurs lycées du monde, et ses parents ont les moyens de satisfaire le moindre de ses souhaits. Mais sa vie bascule le jour où, en arrivant en cours, Regan découvre ses textos et messages privés Facebook placardés sur les murs du lycée. Vacheries, mensonges, insultes, manipulations : tout est là, exposé aux yeux de chacun. En une seconde, elle passe du statut de princesse à celui de véritable paria. Ses amis lui tournent le dos, et les autres élèves du lycée commencent à lui faire vivre un véritable enfer. Elle trouve du soutien auprès de Nolan, un jeune homme plutôt beau garçon mais légèrement dysfonctionnel socialement. Ce dernier découvre vite que Regan est tout sauf la miss Parfaite qu'elle voulait bien montrer. Sous sa carapace, c'est une jeune fille angoissée, qui a du mal à supporter les exigences de sa mère concernant son avenir. Car rester toujours au top demande une sacrée dose d'énergie, et aucun échec n'est envisageable. Pourtant, la chute de Regan n'est qu'un début, et personne n'en sortira indemne...
287 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 1, 2015
31 people are currently reading
1759 people want to read
About the author
Cole Gibsen
16 books418 followersGrowing up, Cole Gibsen couldn't decide what she loved more--dogs or books. So she decided to devote her life to both! Dog trainer (wrangler) by day and author by night, she's the author of over ten books with more on the way.
She would love to connect with you on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/ColeGibsen
and Facebook at www.Facebook.com/ColeGibsen
She would love to connect with you on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/ColeGibsen
and Facebook at www.Facebook.com/ColeGibsen
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 219 reviews
April 10, 2015
Want to know what scares the ever loving crap out of me?
Teenage girls in particular.
Regan Flay is one of those girls. She is on the cheer-leading squad, up for student council, all the shit that goes with being a popular princess.
Regan Flay is not exactly like-able. She talks behind your back and always needs the dirt on you so she can get you first.
Then someone puts up all the bad things she has said about her fellow classmates all over school and suddenly she is the one getting bullied.
Before crawling into bed, I'd made the mistake of checking Facebook one last time. I'd discovered a new comment on the Regan Flay Abuse Support Group page. That comment churned inside my chest like a ball of razor blades, ripping and shredding everything in it's path.
REGAN FLAY SHOULD JUST DO THE WORLD A FAVOR AND KILL HERSELF.
It wasn't so much the comment that hurt as the fact that it had seventy-six likes. Seventy six. More than two football teams' worth of people agreed the world would be a better place if I didn't exist.
During reading this book I did not think I would come to like Regan but that changed. The book shows that she could grow up some and change her way of thinking. I honestly didn't think it came across as cheesy or fake. At times the writing did seem over the top and predictable but I still kept my eyes glued to it.
There is a bit of romance in the story but it's not overdone. I kinda cougar crushed on him a couple of times myself.
I think teenage girls should probably be forced to sit in a chair and memorize this book by heart. I'll monitor them, with a pitchfork.
Cuz I'm skeered.
Enough with the rambling. Yes, I recommend this book. Powerful message about bullying.
Don't you think it's sad some people are only remembered by the graffiti about them on the bathroom stalls?
Teenage girls in particular.
Regan Flay is one of those girls. She is on the cheer-leading squad, up for student council, all the shit that goes with being a popular princess.
Regan Flay is not exactly like-able. She talks behind your back and always needs the dirt on you so she can get you first.
Then someone puts up all the bad things she has said about her fellow classmates all over school and suddenly she is the one getting bullied.
Before crawling into bed, I'd made the mistake of checking Facebook one last time. I'd discovered a new comment on the Regan Flay Abuse Support Group page. That comment churned inside my chest like a ball of razor blades, ripping and shredding everything in it's path.
REGAN FLAY SHOULD JUST DO THE WORLD A FAVOR AND KILL HERSELF.
It wasn't so much the comment that hurt as the fact that it had seventy-six likes. Seventy six. More than two football teams' worth of people agreed the world would be a better place if I didn't exist.
During reading this book I did not think I would come to like Regan but that changed. The book shows that she could grow up some and change her way of thinking. I honestly didn't think it came across as cheesy or fake. At times the writing did seem over the top and predictable but I still kept my eyes glued to it.
There is a bit of romance in the story but it's not overdone. I kinda cougar crushed on him a couple of times myself.
I think teenage girls should probably be forced to sit in a chair and memorize this book by heart. I'll monitor them, with a pitchfork.
Cuz I'm skeered.
Enough with the rambling. Yes, I recommend this book. Powerful message about bullying.
Don't you think it's sad some people are only remembered by the graffiti about them on the bathroom stalls?
April 28, 2015
(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to Entangled Publishing, LLC and NetGalley.)
“I had no idea that I was… destroying people.”
This was a really good story, about one girl and how her bullying ways backfired on her.
“It all started with a text.”
I liked Regan, although she really did say some nasty things about people at the start of the book. I did feel like she was only saying nasty things because she herself felt insecure, but that didn’t stop her words from hurting people.
“Regan Flay should just do the world a favour and kill herself.”
The storyline in this was pretty good, although I did feel really sorry for Regan and what she was going through. It seemed quite unfair that she was the only one singled out, when other people had been just as guilty as she was.
“Here’s what Regan Flay thinks about you.”
There was some romance, although I did find it awfully predictable. I guessed really early on who the love interest was going to be, even when Regan claimed to not like him.
“Welcome to the other side, Flay. You won’t last a week.”
The ending to this was okay, although it wasn’t my favourite part of the book. Everything seemed to end reasonably happy though.
7.5 out of 10.
“I had no idea that I was… destroying people.”
This was a really good story, about one girl and how her bullying ways backfired on her.
“It all started with a text.”
I liked Regan, although she really did say some nasty things about people at the start of the book. I did feel like she was only saying nasty things because she herself felt insecure, but that didn’t stop her words from hurting people.
“Regan Flay should just do the world a favour and kill herself.”
The storyline in this was pretty good, although I did feel really sorry for Regan and what she was going through. It seemed quite unfair that she was the only one singled out, when other people had been just as guilty as she was.
“Here’s what Regan Flay thinks about you.”
There was some romance, although I did find it awfully predictable. I guessed really early on who the love interest was going to be, even when Regan claimed to not like him.
“Welcome to the other side, Flay. You won’t last a week.”
The ending to this was okay, although it wasn’t my favourite part of the book. Everything seemed to end reasonably happy though.
7.5 out of 10.
May 9, 2015
When you play with people's lives the biggest casualty may be your own.
Regan Flay is one of the most popular girls in school. She’s smart, she’s attractive and she’s a bully. She talks shit about people and is involved in assassinating characters of people she doesn’t even know. Life Unaware is her story.
When all of Regan’s secrets are laid out for the entire school to see, she’s sure that it’s the end of her life. She’s lost all her friends—people she’s not even sure she can call “friends” anymore—and everything around her seems to be falling apart. Suddenly, the most popular girl in school finds herself wanting to dodge taunts and insults and getting rid of the nasty words written on her locker.
And if that’s isn't enough, she’s making neither the cheerleading squad nor the Student Council—something that’s sure to piss of her Congresswoman mother. AND the guy she’s found freaky and annoying for her whole life is paying way too much positive attention to her.
I’ve never read a story from the POV of the school bully and so reading Life Unaware was a new kind of a challenge in itself. I’ve always known that bullies aren’t bad people—they’re just misguided people. And Cole Gibsen did an amazing job showing that to me.
But it was easy to see that Regan Flay wasn’t your average bully. Regan had everything—money, popularity, everyone’s attention. Sure, her mother wanted her to be perfect and put-together all the time and Regan worked very hard to be that way, but I couldn’t really see why she had to be a bully to do that. The book mentions how she was always polite and helpful and easy to reach out to because "you never know when you need people” but then she went ahead and bullied them.
It was a bit overwhelming, to be honest.
I did, however, like to see her transformation. She’s done wrong and she realised that soon enough, and her Eureka moment was one of my favourite parts of the book. Here was a girl who was truly sorry and that really moved me. She accepted her mistakes and even went out of her way to apologise to the people she’d hurt. And that was heartwarming to see.
Life Unaware is a kind of story we need today—to remind people that bullies are as much human as the bullied and that while what they do is wrong, there is almost always a reason as to why they are that way. Ultimately, all they need is help. The book has a couple of surprises, HUGE surprises, that I wasn’t expecting AT ALL but I think all in all, Cole Gibsen has done an AMAZING job with the book <3
*I was provided a free ecopy of this book in exchange of an honest review. This did not in any way, however, influence the content of this review.*
Regan Flay is one of the most popular girls in school. She’s smart, she’s attractive and she’s a bully. She talks shit about people and is involved in assassinating characters of people she doesn’t even know. Life Unaware is her story.
When all of Regan’s secrets are laid out for the entire school to see, she’s sure that it’s the end of her life. She’s lost all her friends—people she’s not even sure she can call “friends” anymore—and everything around her seems to be falling apart. Suddenly, the most popular girl in school finds herself wanting to dodge taunts and insults and getting rid of the nasty words written on her locker.
And if that’s isn't enough, she’s making neither the cheerleading squad nor the Student Council—something that’s sure to piss of her Congresswoman mother. AND the guy she’s found freaky and annoying for her whole life is paying way too much positive attention to her.
I’ve never read a story from the POV of the school bully and so reading Life Unaware was a new kind of a challenge in itself. I’ve always known that bullies aren’t bad people—they’re just misguided people. And Cole Gibsen did an amazing job showing that to me.
But it was easy to see that Regan Flay wasn’t your average bully. Regan had everything—money, popularity, everyone’s attention. Sure, her mother wanted her to be perfect and put-together all the time and Regan worked very hard to be that way, but I couldn’t really see why she had to be a bully to do that. The book mentions how she was always polite and helpful and easy to reach out to because "you never know when you need people” but then she went ahead and bullied them.
It was a bit overwhelming, to be honest.
I did, however, like to see her transformation. She’s done wrong and she realised that soon enough, and her Eureka moment was one of my favourite parts of the book. Here was a girl who was truly sorry and that really moved me. She accepted her mistakes and even went out of her way to apologise to the people she’d hurt. And that was heartwarming to see.
Life Unaware is a kind of story we need today—to remind people that bullies are as much human as the bullied and that while what they do is wrong, there is almost always a reason as to why they are that way. Ultimately, all they need is help. The book has a couple of surprises, HUGE surprises, that I wasn’t expecting AT ALL but I think all in all, Cole Gibsen has done an AMAZING job with the book <3
*I was provided a free ecopy of this book in exchange of an honest review. This did not in any way, however, influence the content of this review.*
October 6, 2015
Mon avis en Français
My English review
On entend beaucoup parler du harcèlement à l’école ces temps ci même si tout le monde sait que ça fait longtemps que cela existe. J’avoue que je n’ai pas vraiment surfé sur la vague et je n’avais jusque-là lu aucun livre qui en parlait. Pourtant, après avoir vu le résumé de ce roman, j’avoue que j’ai été très intriguée et la curiosité l’a emporté assez rapidement.
Regan est une jeune fille qui n’a pas forcément une vie facile, et pourtant, elle n’hésite pas à utiliser les rumeurs et autre pour harceler les élèves de son lycée afin de toujours garder sa place au top. Il faut dire que sa mère sénatrice a déjà préparé son futur et la jeune fille ne peut dévier des projets établis. Pourtant, elle ne s’attendait pas une jour à ce que son statut ne change et qu’elle ne devienne une de ces filles dont tout le monde parle et que tous détestent. Ce jour terrible survient quand des messages écrits à ses amies, des messages assez difficiles envers les filles de l’école apparaissent sur les casiers de la jeune fille et la place, alors, au centre de l’attention de chaque élève. Dès lors, la petite fille modèle que tout le monde admirait tombe littéralement de son piédestal et se retrouve seule à devoir affronter le monde. Mais dans cette aventure, elle ne sera pas seule et elle sera aussi soutenue par une personne dont elle ne s’attendait pas avoir de l’aide, le frère de son ancienne meilleure amie, lui-même très peu populaire. On suit alors avec elle les affrontements auxquels elle fait face continuellement mais aussi son envie de s’excuser auprès de tous pour tout ce qu’elle aurait pu causer.
Malgré ce que tout le monde pourrait penser, il est plutôt facile de comprendre et de se mettre à la place de Regan (même si cela ne pardonne en rien ses actions). Elle a une pression impressionnante provenant de sa mère qui l’oblige à agir contre sa nature et en plus de cela, personne ne semble vouloir accepter ses crises d’anxiété et de panique qui lui rendent la vie infernale. C’est assez triste et violent de voir la méchanceté des autres élèves, de voir comment les autres ont la possibilité de détruire une vie en peu de temps. Il y a d’ailleurs des scènes assez difficiles psychologiquement et j’avoue que j’étais curieuse de voir comment l’ensemble allait se terminer. Oui, c’est un livre qui m’a beaucoup touchée et qui nous fait réfléchir à nos années de lycée, à relativiser par rapport à certains événements qu’on a vécus ou alors à se demander si on a pu avoir pareil impact. C’est un livre qui donne envie d’être là pour les autres, d’être bon et agréable et de ne pas essayer de devenir ce que l’on n’est pas, seulement pour se conformer aux idées qu’ont les autres à notre propos.
Pour conclure, j’ai passé un très bon moment avec cette histoire mais c’est vrai que ce n’est pas forcément une histoire facile. Ne vous attendez pas à quelque chose de gai mais plutôt à une réalité que l’on ne veut pas forcément voir. La fin nous redonne pourtant espoir et c’est vrai que je suis à présent curieuse de pouvoir lire plus d’écrits de l’auteure.
My English review
On entend beaucoup parler du harcèlement à l’école ces temps ci même si tout le monde sait que ça fait longtemps que cela existe. J’avoue que je n’ai pas vraiment surfé sur la vague et je n’avais jusque-là lu aucun livre qui en parlait. Pourtant, après avoir vu le résumé de ce roman, j’avoue que j’ai été très intriguée et la curiosité l’a emporté assez rapidement.
Regan est une jeune fille qui n’a pas forcément une vie facile, et pourtant, elle n’hésite pas à utiliser les rumeurs et autre pour harceler les élèves de son lycée afin de toujours garder sa place au top. Il faut dire que sa mère sénatrice a déjà préparé son futur et la jeune fille ne peut dévier des projets établis. Pourtant, elle ne s’attendait pas une jour à ce que son statut ne change et qu’elle ne devienne une de ces filles dont tout le monde parle et que tous détestent. Ce jour terrible survient quand des messages écrits à ses amies, des messages assez difficiles envers les filles de l’école apparaissent sur les casiers de la jeune fille et la place, alors, au centre de l’attention de chaque élève. Dès lors, la petite fille modèle que tout le monde admirait tombe littéralement de son piédestal et se retrouve seule à devoir affronter le monde. Mais dans cette aventure, elle ne sera pas seule et elle sera aussi soutenue par une personne dont elle ne s’attendait pas avoir de l’aide, le frère de son ancienne meilleure amie, lui-même très peu populaire. On suit alors avec elle les affrontements auxquels elle fait face continuellement mais aussi son envie de s’excuser auprès de tous pour tout ce qu’elle aurait pu causer.
Malgré ce que tout le monde pourrait penser, il est plutôt facile de comprendre et de se mettre à la place de Regan (même si cela ne pardonne en rien ses actions). Elle a une pression impressionnante provenant de sa mère qui l’oblige à agir contre sa nature et en plus de cela, personne ne semble vouloir accepter ses crises d’anxiété et de panique qui lui rendent la vie infernale. C’est assez triste et violent de voir la méchanceté des autres élèves, de voir comment les autres ont la possibilité de détruire une vie en peu de temps. Il y a d’ailleurs des scènes assez difficiles psychologiquement et j’avoue que j’étais curieuse de voir comment l’ensemble allait se terminer. Oui, c’est un livre qui m’a beaucoup touchée et qui nous fait réfléchir à nos années de lycée, à relativiser par rapport à certains événements qu’on a vécus ou alors à se demander si on a pu avoir pareil impact. C’est un livre qui donne envie d’être là pour les autres, d’être bon et agréable et de ne pas essayer de devenir ce que l’on n’est pas, seulement pour se conformer aux idées qu’ont les autres à notre propos.
Pour conclure, j’ai passé un très bon moment avec cette histoire mais c’est vrai que ce n’est pas forcément une histoire facile. Ne vous attendez pas à quelque chose de gai mais plutôt à une réalité que l’on ne veut pas forcément voir. La fin nous redonne pourtant espoir et c’est vrai que je suis à présent curieuse de pouvoir lire plus d’écrits de l’auteure.
February 4, 2015
3.5 stars
Life Unaware appealed to me because of the bullying issue. I read another where it was from the stand point of the bullier and I did end up feeling for that person. And it sounds like I will end up understanding Regan. From the synopsis she does seem like someone easy to dislike but it also shows the backfire and the pressure that is too much for her from her mom. Not that there is ever any excuse for bullying other people, there are reasons, and sometimes those can be enough to bridge the gap with me reading to understand and hope for change in that person and the way that they treat others.
Sure enough, I discover that Regan has an anxiety disorder, and her mom is a politician who seems concerned with image and public opinion than her daughter's happiness. She puts a lot of pressure and Regan is stretched with grades, cheerleading, volunteering. She is trying to juggle getting on everyone's good side, and that is where the nasty texts come from. She will talk about one person in order to gain their approval. Then she'll suck up to the person the texts were about. It really is fairly typical teen behavior, she is just the one that got caught.
The fallout though is intense. Everyone jumps on the band wagon and ostracizes her. This only compounds her anxiety and she is taking her pills and going to the nurse office really often. As the synopsis mentions, Nolan, another outcast takes a new interest in her. They have chemistry but they also have the like/hate/lust thing going for them. They never really crossed social paths much besides him being the "weirdo" brother of Regan's friend. He talks to her, teases (in good natured way) and I speculated early that he's had a crush on her for a while and just now able to talk to her. Another thought was maybe he understood the pain of being on the outside and he wanted to be there in the way that he knew how.
It comes out that some of the girls who printed the texts and started the cyber portion on facebook were hiding things of their own. They felt like at any moment their secret could be exposed and were afraid of the fall out. Like I said earlier, nothing excuses bullying, but so often there is a lot of pain or insecurity on both sides.
I liked the growth in Regan, when she has to face some of the people her texts targeted. She said she didn't really have anything against it, just writing without thinking and never planned for it to be seen. In apologizing and seeing other's pain, she realizes how she effected others. She didn't want to be an object of fear, and she realized just how much she was faking things.
So I love the idea that Nolan and Regan had in order to get her apology and convey other stuff she'd seen issue with and wanted to try to repair. I also had a pretty good idea before it came out what went on with Nolan and his ex Jordan, but it was an interesting angle, giving him more depth to me as well as the reasoning for being so understanding.
I also liked how the friendship with her and Payton eventually she remembered the kind of person that Regan really was. She needed time to cool off, and reassurances, but I was happy to see that she was big enough to admit she was wrong and stand by her friend.
One of my favorite moments and quotes was when Regan thought "I only hoped that she would get to stop pretending and live her life how she wanted. Each time I forced myself into the mold of what my mother wanted me to be, I felt myself break. If she kept up her act forever, it would only be a matter of time before the broken pieces of her real self were too small to ever be put back together. I didn't know what happened to people when they were unfixable. I only hoped I never had to find out."
Now, most of the book seems pretty realisitic in regards to mental illness, but I did have an issue when she made the "decision" to stop hiding behind the pills, and made them seem all of the sudden not necessary. Now, yes, I will say that with meds like that you can be dependent and use them as a crutch, but there are people and times when you can't just decide, hey I don't need to take my anxiety/ depression/psych meds because that can lead to serious spirals. Just so that is clear, and it didn't when she finally admitted to others besides adults about her anxiety disorder and the panic meds.
The ending managed to get my attention and I liked how things wrapped up. The romance continued to be sweet, but they did have a pretty big challenge to overcome. I also liked how it went down regarding the friendships regained or new ones because of her idea.
Bottom Line: Worthwhile contemporary, giving a new twist on the issue of bullying.
Life Unaware appealed to me because of the bullying issue. I read another where it was from the stand point of the bullier and I did end up feeling for that person. And it sounds like I will end up understanding Regan. From the synopsis she does seem like someone easy to dislike but it also shows the backfire and the pressure that is too much for her from her mom. Not that there is ever any excuse for bullying other people, there are reasons, and sometimes those can be enough to bridge the gap with me reading to understand and hope for change in that person and the way that they treat others.
Sure enough, I discover that Regan has an anxiety disorder, and her mom is a politician who seems concerned with image and public opinion than her daughter's happiness. She puts a lot of pressure and Regan is stretched with grades, cheerleading, volunteering. She is trying to juggle getting on everyone's good side, and that is where the nasty texts come from. She will talk about one person in order to gain their approval. Then she'll suck up to the person the texts were about. It really is fairly typical teen behavior, she is just the one that got caught.
The fallout though is intense. Everyone jumps on the band wagon and ostracizes her. This only compounds her anxiety and she is taking her pills and going to the nurse office really often. As the synopsis mentions, Nolan, another outcast takes a new interest in her. They have chemistry but they also have the like/hate/lust thing going for them. They never really crossed social paths much besides him being the "weirdo" brother of Regan's friend. He talks to her, teases (in good natured way) and I speculated early that he's had a crush on her for a while and just now able to talk to her. Another thought was maybe he understood the pain of being on the outside and he wanted to be there in the way that he knew how.
It comes out that some of the girls who printed the texts and started the cyber portion on facebook were hiding things of their own. They felt like at any moment their secret could be exposed and were afraid of the fall out. Like I said earlier, nothing excuses bullying, but so often there is a lot of pain or insecurity on both sides.
I liked the growth in Regan, when she has to face some of the people her texts targeted. She said she didn't really have anything against it, just writing without thinking and never planned for it to be seen. In apologizing and seeing other's pain, she realizes how she effected others. She didn't want to be an object of fear, and she realized just how much she was faking things.
So I love the idea that Nolan and Regan had in order to get her apology and convey other stuff she'd seen issue with and wanted to try to repair. I also had a pretty good idea before it came out what went on with Nolan and his ex Jordan, but it was an interesting angle, giving him more depth to me as well as the reasoning for being so understanding.
I also liked how the friendship with her and Payton eventually she remembered the kind of person that Regan really was. She needed time to cool off, and reassurances, but I was happy to see that she was big enough to admit she was wrong and stand by her friend.
One of my favorite moments and quotes was when Regan thought "I only hoped that she would get to stop pretending and live her life how she wanted. Each time I forced myself into the mold of what my mother wanted me to be, I felt myself break. If she kept up her act forever, it would only be a matter of time before the broken pieces of her real self were too small to ever be put back together. I didn't know what happened to people when they were unfixable. I only hoped I never had to find out."
Now, most of the book seems pretty realisitic in regards to mental illness, but I did have an issue when she made the "decision" to stop hiding behind the pills, and made them seem all of the sudden not necessary. Now, yes, I will say that with meds like that you can be dependent and use them as a crutch, but there are people and times when you can't just decide, hey I don't need to take my anxiety/ depression/psych meds because that can lead to serious spirals. Just so that is clear, and it didn't when she finally admitted to others besides adults about her anxiety disorder and the panic meds.
The ending managed to get my attention and I liked how things wrapped up. The romance continued to be sweet, but they did have a pretty big challenge to overcome. I also liked how it went down regarding the friendships regained or new ones because of her idea.
Bottom Line: Worthwhile contemporary, giving a new twist on the issue of bullying.
October 13, 2015
Après Le vide de nos cœurs de Jasmine Warga, la collection New Way des éditions Hugo Roman nous propose encore un texte au message fort. Après le suicide chez les adolescents, nous nous attaquons ici au thème, tout aussi difficile et d’actualité, du harcèlement scolaire (d’ailleurs le premier est souvent une conséquence du second et ils sont liés comme nous le rappelle l’auteur ici).[...]
La suite ici: http://lune-et-plume.fr/blacklistee-d...
La suite ici: http://lune-et-plume.fr/blacklistee-d...
January 21, 2015
Regan Flay may seem nice on the outside, but the popular cheerleader talks behind everyone's back, including her best friend. Now she's the one being talked about and bullied, which is wreaking havoc on her anxiety disorder. Regan just wants things to get back to normal, until a guy (who has been driving her crazy) questions whether she wants to go back to being a mean girl.
When I first started reading LIFE UNAWARE, I worried I'd be too distracted with awkwardly flowery language, but after a few pages the book settled down into a comfortably paced read. Writer Cole Gibsen did a great job weaving mental illness into her characters' personae, and I liked how she made their problems just a small part of who they are as characters. As a child psychologist, I appreciate literature that destigmatizes common adolescent disorders. Gibsen never explained what Amber's medication treated, which would have been helpful. The book occurred over a short period of time, unrealistic for a teenager to glean so much insight and change in so little time. Although the narrator Regan is seventeen, the LIFE UNAWARE reads like the script for a Disney movie, except for a few appropriate f-bombs. While most of the characters have positive and negative traits, the characters seem cookie cutter and predictable for older teens but would probably interest tweens and young teen. The message of kindness and they people have more happening inside them than they show on the outside is strong and important, though would probably feel too preachy to be make the message stick.
Themes: panic attacks, anxiety disorders, bullying, mean girls, depression, suicide, friendship, therapy and medication.
I'd definitely recommend LIFE UNAWARE to clients between 6th and 9th grades, and for older teens dealing with similar issues.
I received a free ecopy of this novel from Net a Galley in exchange for my honest review.
When I first started reading LIFE UNAWARE, I worried I'd be too distracted with awkwardly flowery language, but after a few pages the book settled down into a comfortably paced read. Writer Cole Gibsen did a great job weaving mental illness into her characters' personae, and I liked how she made their problems just a small part of who they are as characters. As a child psychologist, I appreciate literature that destigmatizes common adolescent disorders. Gibsen never explained what Amber's medication treated, which would have been helpful. The book occurred over a short period of time, unrealistic for a teenager to glean so much insight and change in so little time. Although the narrator Regan is seventeen, the LIFE UNAWARE reads like the script for a Disney movie, except for a few appropriate f-bombs. While most of the characters have positive and negative traits, the characters seem cookie cutter and predictable for older teens but would probably interest tweens and young teen. The message of kindness and they people have more happening inside them than they show on the outside is strong and important, though would probably feel too preachy to be make the message stick.
Themes: panic attacks, anxiety disorders, bullying, mean girls, depression, suicide, friendship, therapy and medication.
I'd definitely recommend LIFE UNAWARE to clients between 6th and 9th grades, and for older teens dealing with similar issues.
I received a free ecopy of this novel from Net a Galley in exchange for my honest review.
April 28, 2015
Nowadays, it seems like every other day we hop on social media to see another story about a teen being bullied. It may be a headline for a news article, or it may be a post by a friend, concerned over how their child is being treated. Either way, when you think it should be getting better, that as a whole we should be getting a grip on bullying, it just feels like nobody's listening because it keeps escalating. What makes this story so much different is that it's about the bully. It's about how that bully originated, formed and how their world came crashing down around them, how they had their words.
This is also a story about how even a bully needs someone. How being that one positive reinforcement around them can help bring on change. How one person can help pick up the pieces and keep a person moving, even when all they want to do is pull the covers over their head and bit ado to it all. It also shows how someone going through a tough time needs someone to help them get through it, no matter who they are.
This story resonates with our world today. Every teen should pick this up and read it. They need to understand that words do hurt, that words and actions don't heal with a simple sorry. Parents need to realize how certain things they do bully their child and in turn make them a bully themselves. Teens are going through so much and now we've added that layer of social media. You don't think it will happen to your child, but it just takes a spark nowadays to set the flames leaping at them.
This is also a story about how even a bully needs someone. How being that one positive reinforcement around them can help bring on change. How one person can help pick up the pieces and keep a person moving, even when all they want to do is pull the covers over their head and bit ado to it all. It also shows how someone going through a tough time needs someone to help them get through it, no matter who they are.
This story resonates with our world today. Every teen should pick this up and read it. They need to understand that words do hurt, that words and actions don't heal with a simple sorry. Parents need to realize how certain things they do bully their child and in turn make them a bully themselves. Teens are going through so much and now we've added that layer of social media. You don't think it will happen to your child, but it just takes a spark nowadays to set the flames leaping at them.
June 22, 2015
I really enjoyed this book! Let's see if I can write this review without showing my social worker side...
As someone who isn't really into "issue books," I wasn't too sure LIFE UNAWARE was going to be a good choice for me. However, Gibsen portrays issues of bullying and mental illness without being too heavy handed. It was a darker book, but still managed to be fun and not a downer.
I also felt that Regan's anxiety disorder and panic attacks were shown respectfully, accurately, and without stigmatization. As someone who struggled with an anxiety disorder as a teen, I wish this book had been available ten years ago. I also liked that while Regan took anxiety medication (which I don't think is specified, but I'm guessing some sort of benzodiazepine), and is sometimes shown self-medicating, she doesn't abuse her pills; I feel like it's hard to find a YA novel these days of a teen taking psychiatric medication without abusing it. It's important for teens to read about teens who regularly take medication where it's just a part of their lives - because psychotropic meds are a part of many teens' daily lives.
I also adored Nolan. He's definitely joined the growing ranks of my book boyfriends.
This book had a similar feel to "Mean Girls." I recommend it!
As someone who isn't really into "issue books," I wasn't too sure LIFE UNAWARE was going to be a good choice for me. However, Gibsen portrays issues of bullying and mental illness without being too heavy handed. It was a darker book, but still managed to be fun and not a downer.
I also felt that Regan's anxiety disorder and panic attacks were shown respectfully, accurately, and without stigmatization. As someone who struggled with an anxiety disorder as a teen, I wish this book had been available ten years ago. I also liked that while Regan took anxiety medication (which I don't think is specified, but I'm guessing some sort of benzodiazepine), and is sometimes shown self-medicating, she doesn't abuse her pills; I feel like it's hard to find a YA novel these days of a teen taking psychiatric medication without abusing it. It's important for teens to read about teens who regularly take medication where it's just a part of their lives - because psychotropic meds are a part of many teens' daily lives.
I also adored Nolan. He's definitely joined the growing ranks of my book boyfriends.
This book had a similar feel to "Mean Girls." I recommend it!
April 28, 2015
This is a terrific YA book that addresses the reality of bullying and ugliness that is high school, told with characters the reader grows to love and identify with along the journey. The reality of anxiety disorder, demanding parents and betrayals combines with the constant strive for solution and triumph. I highly reccommend this book for teens and fans of YA,
November 29, 2015
This story should be on the shelves of every bookstore and library, because it will save lives--both literally and metaphorically--if it gets into the right hands at the right times.
October 4, 2018
12/20
Un roman à destination des ados pour essayer de faire prendre conscience de l’impact du harcèlement, et d’encourager la tolérance et la bienveillance. Un message qui m’a touchée, même si les problématiques des personnages et leurs caractères m’ont souvent un peu agacée, sans doute parce que je ne suis plus ado moi-même.
Ma chronique : https://myprettybooks.wordpress.com/2...
Un roman à destination des ados pour essayer de faire prendre conscience de l’impact du harcèlement, et d’encourager la tolérance et la bienveillance. Un message qui m’a touchée, même si les problématiques des personnages et leurs caractères m’ont souvent un peu agacée, sans doute parce que je ne suis plus ado moi-même.
Ma chronique : https://myprettybooks.wordpress.com/2...
February 2, 2021
Un très beau roman qui sensibilise plus qu’il n’y parait. Le harcèlement scolaire est un fait bien trop courant de nos jours et ici, il a été abordé avec tact. Je le conseille fortement.
September 22, 2025
4.5
un livre super super important qui traite de sujets sensibles tels que le harcèlement, la pression parentale, les TDS et autres.
à mettre dans tous les CDI de tous les lycées
un livre super super important qui traite de sujets sensibles tels que le harcèlement, la pression parentale, les TDS et autres.
à mettre dans tous les CDI de tous les lycées
January 5, 2019
I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Deciding to actually read Cole Gibsen's latest new book was an extremely risky decision for me: I am, by no means, a contemporary reader (why I'm avoiding New Adult a lot), and telling Cole (or any author) that I hated her latest book is not something I would actually like to do...
I find that Life Unaware wasn't so daunting after all. In fact, after looking past the little peeves I have against some people in the world, Gibsen's debut contemporary is actually one of those extremely rare contemporaries that I enjoyed reading (the other one I believe is John Green's The Fault in Our Stars).
Life Unaware is actually written not necessarily from the person being bullied, but the bully herself getting a taste of her own medicine. For years Regan Flay has been popular at her school, looked up to and respected by her fellow peers. Little did anyone else aside from her close circle of friends that she spent her time digging up dirt about her classmates, until one day, Regan finds all of her private messages posted on the lockers at school.
For the first few chapters, I just couldn't stand Regan. She seemed stuck up, annoying, spoiled – basically just another missing part of the Mean Girls clique (that movie was highly annoying as well) – and the only thing I probably liked about Regan was the mere fact that I pitied and felt sorry for her. Underneath all her "rot," Regan was just a normal person with a mother who spent 99% of her time in politics and harping over Regan in her free time.
Basically, Regan just had a lot of extremely high expectations that I could surprisingly relate to in terms of choosing a college and a major. I didn't win on the college part (that battle now includes having to get a 30 or higher on my ACT to go to a university or I'm stuck at community college), but I did win (sort of) in choosing a major... by going the harder route, famously known as double major.
High expectations aside, enter Nolan Letner. Ex-popular, artistic, and bottom of the social ladder – a completely opposite spectrum to Regan until her private messages are revealed for the entire school to see. Nolan doesn't really play much of a role in Life Unaware, aside from being Regan's only "support" when her entire life flipped upside down before her eyes.
But despite the fact Nolan doesn't actually play a really huge role, he definitely brings out Regan's true side – the side that seems much more natural for Regan rather something forced from her mother over the years. Nolan also helps Regan turn her life back around, helping and encouraging her throughout several parts in the book to become a better person than she was before at the very beginning.
Life Unaware does eventually go for a darker turn before having a happily ever after vibe – sorry, no spoilers. While this is completely different from her other books, I do applaud Cole Gibsen for writing a well-written contemporary novel dealing with bullying and the after-effects.
This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts
Deciding to actually read Cole Gibsen's latest new book was an extremely risky decision for me: I am, by no means, a contemporary reader (why I'm avoiding New Adult a lot), and telling Cole (or any author) that I hated her latest book is not something I would actually like to do...
I find that Life Unaware wasn't so daunting after all. In fact, after looking past the little peeves I have against some people in the world, Gibsen's debut contemporary is actually one of those extremely rare contemporaries that I enjoyed reading (the other one I believe is John Green's The Fault in Our Stars).
Life Unaware is actually written not necessarily from the person being bullied, but the bully herself getting a taste of her own medicine. For years Regan Flay has been popular at her school, looked up to and respected by her fellow peers. Little did anyone else aside from her close circle of friends that she spent her time digging up dirt about her classmates, until one day, Regan finds all of her private messages posted on the lockers at school.
For the first few chapters, I just couldn't stand Regan. She seemed stuck up, annoying, spoiled – basically just another missing part of the Mean Girls clique (that movie was highly annoying as well) – and the only thing I probably liked about Regan was the mere fact that I pitied and felt sorry for her. Underneath all her "rot," Regan was just a normal person with a mother who spent 99% of her time in politics and harping over Regan in her free time.
Basically, Regan just had a lot of extremely high expectations that I could surprisingly relate to in terms of choosing a college and a major. I didn't win on the college part (that battle now includes having to get a 30 or higher on my ACT to go to a university or I'm stuck at community college), but I did win (sort of) in choosing a major... by going the harder route, famously known as double major.
High expectations aside, enter Nolan Letner. Ex-popular, artistic, and bottom of the social ladder – a completely opposite spectrum to Regan until her private messages are revealed for the entire school to see. Nolan doesn't really play much of a role in Life Unaware, aside from being Regan's only "support" when her entire life flipped upside down before her eyes.
But despite the fact Nolan doesn't actually play a really huge role, he definitely brings out Regan's true side – the side that seems much more natural for Regan rather something forced from her mother over the years. Nolan also helps Regan turn her life back around, helping and encouraging her throughout several parts in the book to become a better person than she was before at the very beginning.
Life Unaware does eventually go for a darker turn before having a happily ever after vibe – sorry, no spoilers. While this is completely different from her other books, I do applaud Cole Gibsen for writing a well-written contemporary novel dealing with bullying and the after-effects.
This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts
May 2, 2015
*I was given this book in e-book form through Net Galley in exchange for an honest review*
I went into this without really remembering the synopsis of the book, so it was like going in blind. Part of me wishes I had reread it so I knew what I was going into. It's about Regan Flay who is one of the popular girls of the school she attends who tries to be perfect to keep her overly controlling politician mother happy. But then her private messages are shared with the entire school, so every single lie, and every little manipulative thing she's ever done becomes exposed. So she goes from the popular girl to the one everyone hates, and now the only person who will even give her the time of day is her ex- best friend's brother, Nolan. And while he thinks he knows how she's feeling and what she's going through, he really doesn't. No one knows that she's breaking apart at the seams under her mother's constant pressure to be perfect. Everything happens like a chain reaction, and this was just the beginning.
So originally going into this I felt like it was just a stereo typical story where the popular girl gets outed, she gets hated and realizes she was wrong for doing the things she did, she changes and everyone loves her again. It felt like it was going that way; and part of me wanted to stop reading. But I still felt like I needed to read more than just a few chapters before I could give an honest review on it. So I forged on and actually read the entire book.
While I will say it did feel very cliché in the hated aspect with everyone hating her and bullying/picking on her because they realize what she's done, I feel like it took on an original point of view too because Regan was also struggling with the pressures of being a politician's daughter and having to try and be perfect because of that. She was also struggling with anxiety issues.
I liked that the author wasn't afraid to be brutally honest and she wasn't afraid to use curse words (especially f-bombs). I liked that the main character wasn't just a typical popular girl that every novel seems to have who seems like they can do no wrong, we actually got to see inside her head and got to see that popular people don't always have it easy like they're depicted in most books. And I felt like through out the whole book I was silently begging for things to just look up for once for the main character.
Regarding Nolan, I felt that there was something going on with him from the very beginning because he never talked much to Regan before this and then all of the sudden he does?
And I really liked that the ending happened the way it did. I was very pleased with how it all turned out.
Overall, after having some issues getting over the clichés and stereo types, I still felt like it was still a really good read and I enjoyed it. I gave it 3.5 stars. :)
I went into this without really remembering the synopsis of the book, so it was like going in blind. Part of me wishes I had reread it so I knew what I was going into. It's about Regan Flay who is one of the popular girls of the school she attends who tries to be perfect to keep her overly controlling politician mother happy. But then her private messages are shared with the entire school, so every single lie, and every little manipulative thing she's ever done becomes exposed. So she goes from the popular girl to the one everyone hates, and now the only person who will even give her the time of day is her ex- best friend's brother, Nolan. And while he thinks he knows how she's feeling and what she's going through, he really doesn't. No one knows that she's breaking apart at the seams under her mother's constant pressure to be perfect. Everything happens like a chain reaction, and this was just the beginning.
So originally going into this I felt like it was just a stereo typical story where the popular girl gets outed, she gets hated and realizes she was wrong for doing the things she did, she changes and everyone loves her again. It felt like it was going that way; and part of me wanted to stop reading. But I still felt like I needed to read more than just a few chapters before I could give an honest review on it. So I forged on and actually read the entire book.
While I will say it did feel very cliché in the hated aspect with everyone hating her and bullying/picking on her because they realize what she's done, I feel like it took on an original point of view too because Regan was also struggling with the pressures of being a politician's daughter and having to try and be perfect because of that. She was also struggling with anxiety issues.
I liked that the author wasn't afraid to be brutally honest and she wasn't afraid to use curse words (especially f-bombs). I liked that the main character wasn't just a typical popular girl that every novel seems to have who seems like they can do no wrong, we actually got to see inside her head and got to see that popular people don't always have it easy like they're depicted in most books. And I felt like through out the whole book I was silently begging for things to just look up for once for the main character.
Regarding Nolan, I felt that there was something going on with him from the very beginning because he never talked much to Regan before this and then all of the sudden he does?
And I really liked that the ending happened the way it did. I was very pleased with how it all turned out.
Overall, after having some issues getting over the clichés and stereo types, I still felt like it was still a really good read and I enjoyed it. I gave it 3.5 stars. :)
February 6, 2017
"En résumé, c'est un livre qui a su me toucher et m'alpaguer comme j'aime l'être avec un roman. Regan est touchante, même si au début c'est une vraie peste. Mais au fil du temps, elle se dévoile, comprend qu'elle a fait du mal, et essaye de se rattraper. Nolan, quand à lui, c'est un peu le rigolo de service, et le mec collant, qui ne lâche pas d'une semelle Regan. Il m'a beaucoup fait rire, et a réussi à me toucher. C'est un livre qui traite vraiment bien du sujet du harcèlement scolaire, que je conseille à tout le monde de découvrir. J'ai l'impression que ma chronique ne reflète pas assez bien ce que j'ai ressenti lors de cette lecture, mais pourtant, je n'ai pas réussi à le lâcher avant d'avoir le fin mot de l'histoire."
Chronique complète: http://lire-une-passion.weebly.com/co...
Chronique complète: http://lire-une-passion.weebly.com/co...
October 21, 2015
Un roman riche en émotion qui traite du harcèlement avec un réalisme surprenant. On pourrait s'attendre à l’extrême, mais l'auteure sait doser de manière efficace ce que vit l'héroïne. Qui soit dit en passant m'a beaucoup touché et un soutien inattendu de la part de Nolan apporte de douceur à l'histoire, qui fait mal au cœur par moment. Je recommande vraiment rien que pour ouvrir les yeux.
Ma chronique : http://wp.me/p4u7Dl-1ym
Ma chronique : http://wp.me/p4u7Dl-1ym
March 18, 2015
(I received a copy from Netgalley, In exchange for an honest review.)
I didn't like Regan at the start, but she grew on me. I felt really sorry for her when all her friends abandoned her, but in the end, the change in her popularity made her a much better person.
This was a really enjoyable read, which had a nice ending.
I'll definately be reading more from this author.
I didn't like Regan at the start, but she grew on me. I felt really sorry for her when all her friends abandoned her, but in the end, the change in her popularity made her a much better person.
This was a really enjoyable read, which had a nice ending.
I'll definately be reading more from this author.
May 20, 2018
was mostly good, but ending was kind of predictable and she forgave Nolan wayyyy too quickly
January 19, 2019
Warnings: attempted suicide, bullying, mentions of homophobia, panic attacks
A book from the POV of a bully, Life Unaware has a good message, and does its best to speak it out. The book begins with Regan, the protagonist, apologizing for all that she had done and that pretty much tells us what the story is about - her learning about the consequences of her actions.
The popular girl in school as well as the daughter of a sitting Congresswoman, Regan has always been concerned with how she appears; thanks to her mother's bullying she has an anxiety disorder that gives her panic attacks. Learning from her politician mom, she is not above using manipulative tactics to get what she wants. She participates in bullying her peers because it makes her feel better about herself, and also as something she does to belong in her circle of friends. However, when her texts are leaked to the school, and everyone sees her for the two-faced person she is, she is ostracized by all of them, including her best friend and other ally. The only one risking the censure to talk to her? Her best friend's older brother and the guy who makes it a hobby to harass her. With his help, however, she begins to make a move towards atoning for her misdeeds as well as set an example for others to follow.
The best thing about the book is that it has an anti-bullying stance, and even with a bully as its protagonist, it doesn't try to justify her actions or excuse it. Yes, she has mental health problems, but she also acknowledges that doesn't do anything for the pain she has caused others, nor does her apology fix the things she broke in them. It touches on her anxiety disorder as the result of her mother's dictating every aspect of her life and not seeing the harm she causes her daughter, and tries to resolve that part of the equation by having her mother realize that. As for the bullying part, it is a mild approach to atone, but its heart in the right place.
The romance, however, was my 'yikes' for the book. It was messy from the start, considering he is hounding her to see her 'downfall' and then appears like a knight in shining armor to console her when she is down. It is resolved in the ending way better than it was developed throughout the book, to be honest. I also felt his attraction to her was complicated, but then he learns about her anxiety disorder and suddenly decides he is sorry for judging her - which is kinda the opposite of the message the book was trying to send, that her mental illness was not the sole cause of her bullying. Also, it then derailed from the bullying thing to the romance angst and drama in the last third of the book. So, yeah there was that and then the whole mess with the outing thing, and let's just say I saw some twists like the broadcast video coming.
Basically, the intent and the idea for the novel were sound, but the execution of the concept could have been better.
Is it diverse? The main character has an anxiety disorder; two secondary characters are queer.
Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review from Entangled Teen, via Netgalley.
A book from the POV of a bully, Life Unaware has a good message, and does its best to speak it out. The book begins with Regan, the protagonist, apologizing for all that she had done and that pretty much tells us what the story is about - her learning about the consequences of her actions.
The popular girl in school as well as the daughter of a sitting Congresswoman, Regan has always been concerned with how she appears; thanks to her mother's bullying she has an anxiety disorder that gives her panic attacks. Learning from her politician mom, she is not above using manipulative tactics to get what she wants. She participates in bullying her peers because it makes her feel better about herself, and also as something she does to belong in her circle of friends. However, when her texts are leaked to the school, and everyone sees her for the two-faced person she is, she is ostracized by all of them, including her best friend and other ally. The only one risking the censure to talk to her? Her best friend's older brother and the guy who makes it a hobby to harass her. With his help, however, she begins to make a move towards atoning for her misdeeds as well as set an example for others to follow.
The best thing about the book is that it has an anti-bullying stance, and even with a bully as its protagonist, it doesn't try to justify her actions or excuse it. Yes, she has mental health problems, but she also acknowledges that doesn't do anything for the pain she has caused others, nor does her apology fix the things she broke in them. It touches on her anxiety disorder as the result of her mother's dictating every aspect of her life and not seeing the harm she causes her daughter, and tries to resolve that part of the equation by having her mother realize that. As for the bullying part, it is a mild approach to atone, but its heart in the right place.
The romance, however, was my 'yikes' for the book. It was messy from the start, considering he is hounding her to see her 'downfall' and then appears like a knight in shining armor to console her when she is down. It is resolved in the ending way better than it was developed throughout the book, to be honest. I also felt his attraction to her was complicated, but then he learns about her anxiety disorder and suddenly decides he is sorry for judging her - which is kinda the opposite of the message the book was trying to send, that her mental illness was not the sole cause of her bullying. Also, it then derailed from the bullying thing to the romance angst and drama in the last third of the book. So, yeah there was that and then the whole mess with the outing thing, and let's just say I saw some twists like the broadcast video coming.
Basically, the intent and the idea for the novel were sound, but the execution of the concept could have been better.
Is it diverse? The main character has an anxiety disorder; two secondary characters are queer.
Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review from Entangled Teen, via Netgalley.
January 9, 2021
Reagan Flay has spent her whole life trying to be perfect and the best at everything, always making sure things go her way and presenting this image of someone who has everything under control especially as she is always under the scrutiny of her mother who is a politician. The thing though is Reagan underneath isn't a nice person and has done awful things to stay on top of things. In a way, her character reminded me of Regina George with her "burn book" and the need to dig dirt on others so she can always have the upper hand. The thing though is that what goes up, must come down and Reagan is about to have her perfect image exploded when she walks into a school and finds her texts, emails, and private conversations she has had about people plastered all over the school. In a split moment, Reagan has gone from popular to outcast as her true colors are revealed. However, is this the wake-up call that Reagan needed as she has a dark secret too - she takes pills for her panic attacks? This was a good read, as I feel like there is a Reagan in every school, workplace and after reading this I wondered what would happen if every bad word you ever said about people was exposed - would you have a blank slate or a long rap sheet of offenses? After reading this, it made me think too how powerful words are, and would you be comfortable with what you said going public? Life Unaware by Cole Gibsen brings that old saying to light "If you don't have something nice to say, then don't say anything at all".
May 7, 2015
Books are special. They're a mixture of 26 letters, jumbled up into an impossible number of variations, influencing us and our thoughts, our decisions, our emotions, changing our perspectives, our opinions, our attitudes, rearranging our point of view, how we see people and the world, but most of all, when they're good, connect and allow a reader to completely and utterly resonate with the story that's being told. When a book is that good that it takes a hold of your sensitive heart strings, those that feel, sometimes, just a little too close to home, and manages to make the world, in the time you're reading, less scary, and less intense, less, overwhelming, that's when you know you've got more than just a good book - it's perfection. Life Unaware, to me, was nothing short of perfection.
Trying to explain how and why Life Unaware was in every way, faultless for me, is difficult, it covers one of the subjects I have started to become less and less interested in - the 'teenage drama queen who has big personal secrets and likes the best friends hot brother' - I understand completely, this book does sound like a lot of other books you've probably read before, but I can solidly assure you it isn't. Life Unaware is about so much more than just a girl who goes from top to flop; it's about the growing up and finding your place in this world, being branded by labels, being judged by other people because of other people, forgetting what you want out of life because other people, family, friends, powerful, in control elders say you should aim for something, or someone else. If you consider a problem you might have had growing up, finding yourself, then Life Unaware has it. You name it, Gibson tackles LGBT themes with sensitivity and honesty, she delves into anxiety and panic attacks in an honest and true to life light, she takes on bullying, take it's head on, and rips it apart at all angles, how one word doesn't just affect one person in one way, but many people, in many different ways, and touches upon suicide in a really heartbreaking way. There are books I've loved and books that I've connected with, but very few have made me feel less freak-like and more - well, beautiful - Life Unaware is one of them.
Gibsons characters and their voices are definitely shining features of this book too. Regan's voice was really down to earth and honest - we can all admit to being a little like Regan at some point in our lives, feeling pressured, feeling alone, feeling as though the simplest of tasks could go wrong, feeling a though the world is watching for a mistake, and hiding it behind actions that aren't very like us, but end up defining us. I've been branded many of the same labels Regan was in this novel - I've also branded and labelled other people with them too, without a care in the world, and Life Unaware doesn't just include this, but Gibson explores it, and not only highlights how very wrong it is, but made me consider how very wrong I myself has been, and how my real life actions, although different and more personal, were not all that different to Regan's. As far as development goes, Regan's journey is a powerful one, with emotion and depth, with honesty and a raw heartbreaking feel that tugged at my feelings in ways they haven't been tugged in months, and her relationships with people were also really wonderful. Her relationship with her mother, although a little overused, was executed perfectly, I could understand her stress, her fear of letting her mother down, and all the time, Gibson remained consistent on how Regan's personal battles were never over. Mental illness' require time, commitment and dedication in order to control, and you never really overcome them entirely, subduing them in order to live life better is always the aim, and Gibson, at every angle, at every turn, made sure this points was highlighted, and that made Regan's journey all the more beautiful.
Even how Gibson explored the romance aspect in Life Unaware was done superbly. Let me tell you, asking for consent is attractive, it's damn well one of the most sexy and respectable things a guy can do, and at all times, Gibson highlighted issues such as consent, approval and permission within Regan and Nolan's relationship. Their hate-to-like (which is always beautiful, because it's very rarely love after a few weeks) romance was beautiful, it was explored and executed brilliantly, from Nolan's protective, yet not overwhelming or douche-like possessiveness, to Regan's nerves, uncertainty and eventual strength and confidence she gained, not only from the experience, but also from Nolan, it was amazing. Even seeing the reveal coming, I fell head over heals for their feelings for one another, and can I mention how much I appreciate the none-certain happy ending? The unlining features of trust, honesty, appreciation and respect that Gibson wove into the romance aspect was astounding, and the best part is, Gibson proves just how easy it is to have an appealing, strapping love interest that isn't a dickweed, that doesn't feel the need to 'own' the main character, and that can, quite easily, be frustrating, adorable and quirky, all at the same time.
Life Unaware, as you may have guessed already, was an absolutely wonderful read for me. I had few expectations and those I did weren't insanely rave-tastic, but Life Unaware reminded me of hard truths, touched on sensitive issues that really resonate with me personally, delved into messages and features that young adult readers around are crying out for, and had a really beautiful, adorable and tense, hot romance that it was hard for me not to find this novel perfect. There are a lot of mental disorder, young adult novels out there, but if I could recommend you read just one, make it this one - Gibson's debut is just too good to miss.
Trying to explain how and why Life Unaware was in every way, faultless for me, is difficult, it covers one of the subjects I have started to become less and less interested in - the 'teenage drama queen who has big personal secrets and likes the best friends hot brother' - I understand completely, this book does sound like a lot of other books you've probably read before, but I can solidly assure you it isn't. Life Unaware is about so much more than just a girl who goes from top to flop; it's about the growing up and finding your place in this world, being branded by labels, being judged by other people because of other people, forgetting what you want out of life because other people, family, friends, powerful, in control elders say you should aim for something, or someone else. If you consider a problem you might have had growing up, finding yourself, then Life Unaware has it. You name it, Gibson tackles LGBT themes with sensitivity and honesty, she delves into anxiety and panic attacks in an honest and true to life light, she takes on bullying, take it's head on, and rips it apart at all angles, how one word doesn't just affect one person in one way, but many people, in many different ways, and touches upon suicide in a really heartbreaking way. There are books I've loved and books that I've connected with, but very few have made me feel less freak-like and more - well, beautiful - Life Unaware is one of them.
Gibsons characters and their voices are definitely shining features of this book too. Regan's voice was really down to earth and honest - we can all admit to being a little like Regan at some point in our lives, feeling pressured, feeling alone, feeling as though the simplest of tasks could go wrong, feeling a though the world is watching for a mistake, and hiding it behind actions that aren't very like us, but end up defining us. I've been branded many of the same labels Regan was in this novel - I've also branded and labelled other people with them too, without a care in the world, and Life Unaware doesn't just include this, but Gibson explores it, and not only highlights how very wrong it is, but made me consider how very wrong I myself has been, and how my real life actions, although different and more personal, were not all that different to Regan's. As far as development goes, Regan's journey is a powerful one, with emotion and depth, with honesty and a raw heartbreaking feel that tugged at my feelings in ways they haven't been tugged in months, and her relationships with people were also really wonderful. Her relationship with her mother, although a little overused, was executed perfectly, I could understand her stress, her fear of letting her mother down, and all the time, Gibson remained consistent on how Regan's personal battles were never over. Mental illness' require time, commitment and dedication in order to control, and you never really overcome them entirely, subduing them in order to live life better is always the aim, and Gibson, at every angle, at every turn, made sure this points was highlighted, and that made Regan's journey all the more beautiful.
"Whenever someone says something about us, it gets written inside us, permanently. The good words, the ugly words, it’s all right here.” I placed a palm against my chest. “Sure, you can scribble out the words or try to paint over them, but beneath the layers of paint and ink, they're still there, branded to our cores like initials carved in a tree."
Even how Gibson explored the romance aspect in Life Unaware was done superbly. Let me tell you, asking for consent is attractive, it's damn well one of the most sexy and respectable things a guy can do, and at all times, Gibson highlighted issues such as consent, approval and permission within Regan and Nolan's relationship. Their hate-to-like (which is always beautiful, because it's very rarely love after a few weeks) romance was beautiful, it was explored and executed brilliantly, from Nolan's protective, yet not overwhelming or douche-like possessiveness, to Regan's nerves, uncertainty and eventual strength and confidence she gained, not only from the experience, but also from Nolan, it was amazing. Even seeing the reveal coming, I fell head over heals for their feelings for one another, and can I mention how much I appreciate the none-certain happy ending? The unlining features of trust, honesty, appreciation and respect that Gibson wove into the romance aspect was astounding, and the best part is, Gibson proves just how easy it is to have an appealing, strapping love interest that isn't a dickweed, that doesn't feel the need to 'own' the main character, and that can, quite easily, be frustrating, adorable and quirky, all at the same time.
Life Unaware, as you may have guessed already, was an absolutely wonderful read for me. I had few expectations and those I did weren't insanely rave-tastic, but Life Unaware reminded me of hard truths, touched on sensitive issues that really resonate with me personally, delved into messages and features that young adult readers around are crying out for, and had a really beautiful, adorable and tense, hot romance that it was hard for me not to find this novel perfect. There are a lot of mental disorder, young adult novels out there, but if I could recommend you read just one, make it this one - Gibson's debut is just too good to miss.
August 27, 2017
Desde la página 10 te hueles absolutamente todo: el final, el rollete y el desarrollo que se le va a dar a la protagonista en la novela. Nada absolutamente nuevo, solamente un libro que hemos leído ya tropecientas mil veces.
Al menos me ha servido para desoxidar un poco mi francés!
"Ces toilettes étaient une promesse faite à tous les élèves du lycée qu'après notre diplôme, l'espoir que nous avions laissé derrière nous surpasserait de loin la haine."
Al menos me ha servido para desoxidar un poco mi francés!
"Ces toilettes étaient une promesse faite à tous les élèves du lycée qu'après notre diplôme, l'espoir que nous avions laissé derrière nous surpasserait de loin la haine."
May 5, 2015
This book is intense! In a good way. I waffled on 4-1/2 or 5 stars, because it's not perfect and I like to save 5 stars for perfect, but this book has more feels than almost anything else I've read lately. And the longer I read it, the more perfect it became. Regan's journey is so satisfying because I disliked her so much in the beginning. But I was four chapters in and ready to stuff my head in an oven I was so depressed. It went from sucky, to horrific, to oh my god can we please just end the misery, in five short chapters. But then something happened and I found that spark of hope I was looking for. And I'm not talking about the story, I'm talking about Regan's life. The girl I didn't care about because she was a self-absorbed narcissist. Except Cole Gibsen makes me care about her when I shouldn't.
Regan is the queen bee of St. Mary's, a Catholic high school with more girl drama than Mean Girls and Heathers combined. Having attended not one, but two Catholic high schools, I can attest this is a real thing. And her portrayal was spot on. But Regan's world comes crashing down around her when an even meaner girl, Amber, decides to make Regan's life a living hell, the same way Regan has done to countless other girls over the years.
Regan grows and develops so believably through the book, I'm won over. What I love is how the author got me there. Regan is every bitchy mean girl, and yet we're allowed to see her insecurities, we get a behind-the-scenes look at why she is the way she is and it's powerful. I rooted for her more because she became the ultimate underdog. Sure, she has her flaws, serious, ugly, heinous flaws, and yet I understand why she did the things she did. I wanted to see her fight back, redeem herself, and better yet, to not be the girl she was before, but better in all the right ways.
World Building
I attended two Catholic high schools, one in Ohio and the other in San Diego. The one in Ohio required the uniforms, conformity, conservative ideology. The one in San Diego, much less so. My high school here was more about status where designer clothes ruled the hallways and the parking lot was crammed with brand new BMWs, gifts for sweet sixteen birthdays. St. Mary's seems to be a blend of my two schools, but it helped me relate. The one thing I realized both schools have in common is that Catholic students swear, bully, smoke, and get pregnant just like public school kids. And I think Cole Gibsen so perfectly captured that in Life Unaware, I almost felt transported back in time.
Plot
The primary plot revolves around Regan's fall from grace and ultimate redemption, but her relationship with her best friend, Peyton's older brother, Nolan is raw and powerful and threads through the main plot like a binding stitch, holding everything loosely together. The story moves from the opening pages, and as difficult as it is to read at times, it packs a solid emotional punch, forcing us to look at the world of bullying through the eyes of the bully as well as the victim. It's easy to paint the bully as the bad guy, but no one is a two-dimensional cardboard character. Amber, as cruel as she can be, has her own issues and it's hard not to feel for her, too.
Characters
The characters are incredibly well developed with solid motivations that drive their actions. Regan especially is so incredibly three-dimensional, it's hard to remember she's just a figment of Cole Gibsen's imagination. But even Payton, Amber, Christy, Nolan and her parents have their own arcs and issues that tell us who they are and why the tick the way they do.
The Writing
The author's voice is fresh and youthful, but what I really loved were her similies and metaphors. Her unique turn of phrase took me deep into the story and rooted me there.
The Ending
I liked the ending, although I don't know that I loved it. But it was realistic. And emotional. In a good way. I don't know what I would want to make it better. My first thought was an epilogue, but I'm not sure that fits with what the author was trying to accomplish. The fact that I'm still thinking about the messages and the characters this long after finishing is the sign of a good ending, even if it's not a perfect one. With more time to mull it over, I may decide it's a brilliant ending.
Top Five Things I Loved About Life Unaware
1. The Video Apology. The video Regan and Nolan make in his room is so raw and real, it only made me love them both more.
2. Christy. She was so vulnerable, it was hard not to love her.
3. Regan. Watching her go from who she was on page one to who she became was one of the best character journeys I've read in a long time.
4. Nolan. Sure, he's not perfect, but neither is Regan. I love Nolan, warts and all. His heart is in the right place most of the time.
5. Payton. She's a great best friend. Yeah, again, not perfect, but she was there when it mattered and that's what counts.
Bottom Line
Life Unaware is an intense young adult tale of redemption and forgiveness with complex characters that are hard not to love. Eventually.
Disclaimer
I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Regan is the queen bee of St. Mary's, a Catholic high school with more girl drama than Mean Girls and Heathers combined. Having attended not one, but two Catholic high schools, I can attest this is a real thing. And her portrayal was spot on. But Regan's world comes crashing down around her when an even meaner girl, Amber, decides to make Regan's life a living hell, the same way Regan has done to countless other girls over the years.
Regan grows and develops so believably through the book, I'm won over. What I love is how the author got me there. Regan is every bitchy mean girl, and yet we're allowed to see her insecurities, we get a behind-the-scenes look at why she is the way she is and it's powerful. I rooted for her more because she became the ultimate underdog. Sure, she has her flaws, serious, ugly, heinous flaws, and yet I understand why she did the things she did. I wanted to see her fight back, redeem herself, and better yet, to not be the girl she was before, but better in all the right ways.
World Building
I attended two Catholic high schools, one in Ohio and the other in San Diego. The one in Ohio required the uniforms, conformity, conservative ideology. The one in San Diego, much less so. My high school here was more about status where designer clothes ruled the hallways and the parking lot was crammed with brand new BMWs, gifts for sweet sixteen birthdays. St. Mary's seems to be a blend of my two schools, but it helped me relate. The one thing I realized both schools have in common is that Catholic students swear, bully, smoke, and get pregnant just like public school kids. And I think Cole Gibsen so perfectly captured that in Life Unaware, I almost felt transported back in time.
Plot
The primary plot revolves around Regan's fall from grace and ultimate redemption, but her relationship with her best friend, Peyton's older brother, Nolan is raw and powerful and threads through the main plot like a binding stitch, holding everything loosely together. The story moves from the opening pages, and as difficult as it is to read at times, it packs a solid emotional punch, forcing us to look at the world of bullying through the eyes of the bully as well as the victim. It's easy to paint the bully as the bad guy, but no one is a two-dimensional cardboard character. Amber, as cruel as she can be, has her own issues and it's hard not to feel for her, too.
Characters
The characters are incredibly well developed with solid motivations that drive their actions. Regan especially is so incredibly three-dimensional, it's hard to remember she's just a figment of Cole Gibsen's imagination. But even Payton, Amber, Christy, Nolan and her parents have their own arcs and issues that tell us who they are and why the tick the way they do.
The Writing
The author's voice is fresh and youthful, but what I really loved were her similies and metaphors. Her unique turn of phrase took me deep into the story and rooted me there.
The Ending
I liked the ending, although I don't know that I loved it. But it was realistic. And emotional. In a good way. I don't know what I would want to make it better. My first thought was an epilogue, but I'm not sure that fits with what the author was trying to accomplish. The fact that I'm still thinking about the messages and the characters this long after finishing is the sign of a good ending, even if it's not a perfect one. With more time to mull it over, I may decide it's a brilliant ending.
Top Five Things I Loved About Life Unaware
1. The Video Apology. The video Regan and Nolan make in his room is so raw and real, it only made me love them both more.
2. Christy. She was so vulnerable, it was hard not to love her.
3. Regan. Watching her go from who she was on page one to who she became was one of the best character journeys I've read in a long time.
4. Nolan. Sure, he's not perfect, but neither is Regan. I love Nolan, warts and all. His heart is in the right place most of the time.
5. Payton. She's a great best friend. Yeah, again, not perfect, but she was there when it mattered and that's what counts.
Bottom Line
Life Unaware is an intense young adult tale of redemption and forgiveness with complex characters that are hard not to love. Eventually.
Disclaimer
I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review
June 28, 2018
Only 3/5 because the beginning was so promising, but the end, omg, WAS IT A FUCKING TEEN COMEDY ?!!! It was so deep at first, and then : romance, a dance, a big reveal... C'mon.
February 18, 2020
Une bonne lecture sans plus
November 21, 2016
Le harcèlement scolaire est une chose dont tout le monde a eu à vivre une fois dans sa vie, comme victime, bourreau, ou simple témoin.
Le livre débute sur un prologue, Regan est dans le cabinet d’un psychologue, elle est à bout, mais a du mal à s’exprimer, mais la douleur et le remord se bousculent en elle, et elle finit pour tout expliquer. Chapitre 1, le premier jour de sa descente aux enfers. Regan est une jeune fille constamment sous pression à cause du poids du travail de sa mère. Elle doit toujours être gentille, bienveillante et aimable, à tel point qu’elle ne saurait dire si c’est dans sa véritable nature ou si elle fait simplement semblant pour ne pas décevoir sa mère.
En ce jour, la pression est à son maximum, Regan a passé les épreuves de pom-pom girl et attend les résultats. Mais elle décide de faire un peu de lèches aux autres membres pour essayer de gagner des points. Amber, une de ses fidèles amies est vice-capitaine de l’équipe, et Regan se dit qu’elle devrait avoir la capitaine dans sa poche, et pour ça, quoi de mieux que de trouver un de ses vilains petits secrets ?
Malheureusement, le lendemain, tout l’univers de Regan bascule. Elle se fait insulter par des élèves, des personnes la regardent avec mépris, et la capitaine de l’équipe de pom-pom girl s’en prend à elle. Et Regan finit par découvrir la raison de cette haine : des papiers placardés sur tous les casiers, où sont inscrits tous les messages que Regan envoie à Payton sa meilleure amie et Amber, et où elles disent du mal de tout le monde. Pourtant, il n’y a que le nom de Regan qui est lisible, ceux de ses amies sont floutés.
De là, tout va s’enchainer rapidement, plus personne ne lui parle, ses amies lui tournent le dos, et des personnes taguent son casier et sa voiture.
Dans ses moments les plus sombres, elle aura une personne qui la suivre, Nolan le grand frère de Payton, avec qui elle n’a pas une bonne relation. Pourtant, quand tout lui tourne le dos, Nolan sera le seul soutien de Regan.
Le résumé me tentait, et j’étais vraiment curieuse de voir comment l’auteure allait amener les choses. Le harcèlement scolaire n’est pas anodin et ce n’est pas un jeu, mais j’avais vraiment envie de lire l’histoire d’une peau de vache qui finit par vive une chose qu’elle faisait subir aux autres.
Et l’histoire ne m’a pas déplu, tout était très bien écrit et parfaitement décrit pour que l’on puisse ressentir les mêmes choses que le personnage principal. Malheureusement il manquait un petit truc à cette histoire pour qu’elle soit captivante, dès les premiers chapitres on sent que l’auteure aurait pu faire plus, mais qu’elle s’est retenue, et c’est un peu dommage.
Par ailleurs, elle ne laisse pas vraiment de place au suspense, dès les premières pages ont comprend aisément qui est à l’origine de la descente aux enfers que subit Regan, et malgré les efforts de l’auteure pour nous faire penser à une autre personne, le lecteur ne peut se poser qu’une seule question tout au long du livre, « quand va-t-elle découvrir la vérité ? ».
Par contre, j’aime beaucoup la construction des personnages faite par l’auteure, car malgré les apparences, tout le monde a des secrets et tout le monde a des blessures, mais bien évidemment, cela n’excuse en rien les agissements de certaines personnes.
Les deux personnages principaux sont plutôt attachants. Regan, la jeune fille qui essaie tant bien que mal de se montrer à la hauteur des attentes de sa mère, qui ne pense pas faire du mal aux autres en les médisants dans leur dos, mais qui finit par comprendre toute l’horreur de son comportement quand elle finit par subir le mépris des autres.
Nolan est un jeune homme passionné de documentaire, il traine toujours avec une caméra — ou son portable en mode caméra — à la main. Au tout début, il déteste Regan et s’amuse de sa nouvelle condition, mais la force des choses va le pousser à prendre soin d’elle et à l’aider à surmonter cette épreuve.
Je regrette que l’auteure n’ait pas mieux développé le personnage de Payton, qui sert de support à quelques moments durant le roman, mais qui est plutôt effacé durant tout le roman malgré ses liens avec Regan et Nolan.
L’histoire est en elle-même bien écrite et se lit très facilement. De ce côté-là, le point négatif va à l’édition française qui oublie par moment des tirets alors qu’il y a un dialogue, ou des lettres, mais le pire a été de lire un « je suis désolée » prononcé par un personnage masculin, je vous avoue, j’ai failli pleurer en voyant cette faute.
Pour terminer, Blacklistée est un bon petit roman sur le harcèlement scolaire. Si ce livre était lu par des professeurs ou des adolescents, il pourrait aider beaucoup de personne.
Le livre débute sur un prologue, Regan est dans le cabinet d’un psychologue, elle est à bout, mais a du mal à s’exprimer, mais la douleur et le remord se bousculent en elle, et elle finit pour tout expliquer. Chapitre 1, le premier jour de sa descente aux enfers. Regan est une jeune fille constamment sous pression à cause du poids du travail de sa mère. Elle doit toujours être gentille, bienveillante et aimable, à tel point qu’elle ne saurait dire si c’est dans sa véritable nature ou si elle fait simplement semblant pour ne pas décevoir sa mère.
En ce jour, la pression est à son maximum, Regan a passé les épreuves de pom-pom girl et attend les résultats. Mais elle décide de faire un peu de lèches aux autres membres pour essayer de gagner des points. Amber, une de ses fidèles amies est vice-capitaine de l’équipe, et Regan se dit qu’elle devrait avoir la capitaine dans sa poche, et pour ça, quoi de mieux que de trouver un de ses vilains petits secrets ?
Malheureusement, le lendemain, tout l’univers de Regan bascule. Elle se fait insulter par des élèves, des personnes la regardent avec mépris, et la capitaine de l’équipe de pom-pom girl s’en prend à elle. Et Regan finit par découvrir la raison de cette haine : des papiers placardés sur tous les casiers, où sont inscrits tous les messages que Regan envoie à Payton sa meilleure amie et Amber, et où elles disent du mal de tout le monde. Pourtant, il n’y a que le nom de Regan qui est lisible, ceux de ses amies sont floutés.
De là, tout va s’enchainer rapidement, plus personne ne lui parle, ses amies lui tournent le dos, et des personnes taguent son casier et sa voiture.
Dans ses moments les plus sombres, elle aura une personne qui la suivre, Nolan le grand frère de Payton, avec qui elle n’a pas une bonne relation. Pourtant, quand tout lui tourne le dos, Nolan sera le seul soutien de Regan.
Le résumé me tentait, et j’étais vraiment curieuse de voir comment l’auteure allait amener les choses. Le harcèlement scolaire n’est pas anodin et ce n’est pas un jeu, mais j’avais vraiment envie de lire l’histoire d’une peau de vache qui finit par vive une chose qu’elle faisait subir aux autres.
Et l’histoire ne m’a pas déplu, tout était très bien écrit et parfaitement décrit pour que l’on puisse ressentir les mêmes choses que le personnage principal. Malheureusement il manquait un petit truc à cette histoire pour qu’elle soit captivante, dès les premiers chapitres on sent que l’auteure aurait pu faire plus, mais qu’elle s’est retenue, et c’est un peu dommage.
Par ailleurs, elle ne laisse pas vraiment de place au suspense, dès les premières pages ont comprend aisément qui est à l’origine de la descente aux enfers que subit Regan, et malgré les efforts de l’auteure pour nous faire penser à une autre personne, le lecteur ne peut se poser qu’une seule question tout au long du livre, « quand va-t-elle découvrir la vérité ? ».
Par contre, j’aime beaucoup la construction des personnages faite par l’auteure, car malgré les apparences, tout le monde a des secrets et tout le monde a des blessures, mais bien évidemment, cela n’excuse en rien les agissements de certaines personnes.
Les deux personnages principaux sont plutôt attachants. Regan, la jeune fille qui essaie tant bien que mal de se montrer à la hauteur des attentes de sa mère, qui ne pense pas faire du mal aux autres en les médisants dans leur dos, mais qui finit par comprendre toute l’horreur de son comportement quand elle finit par subir le mépris des autres.
Nolan est un jeune homme passionné de documentaire, il traine toujours avec une caméra — ou son portable en mode caméra — à la main. Au tout début, il déteste Regan et s’amuse de sa nouvelle condition, mais la force des choses va le pousser à prendre soin d’elle et à l’aider à surmonter cette épreuve.
Je regrette que l’auteure n’ait pas mieux développé le personnage de Payton, qui sert de support à quelques moments durant le roman, mais qui est plutôt effacé durant tout le roman malgré ses liens avec Regan et Nolan.
L’histoire est en elle-même bien écrite et se lit très facilement. De ce côté-là, le point négatif va à l’édition française qui oublie par moment des tirets alors qu’il y a un dialogue, ou des lettres, mais le pire a été de lire un « je suis désolée » prononcé par un personnage masculin, je vous avoue, j’ai failli pleurer en voyant cette faute.
Pour terminer, Blacklistée est un bon petit roman sur le harcèlement scolaire. Si ce livre était lu par des professeurs ou des adolescents, il pourrait aider beaucoup de personne.
November 12, 2015
Il a fallu attendre les derniers jours du mois de janvier pour qu'enfin, les frissons du coup de coeur se manifestent encore à moi !
Vous allez croire que je le fais exprès d'avoir des coups de coeur sur des livres traitant du sujet du "bullying" mais j'ai trouvé que ce roman était juste parfait dans sa construction. Il se situe dans la même lignée que Tease (vu qu'on suit un bully qui devient bullied) mais le surpasse nettement par sa conclusion.
On suit Regan, une jeune fille populaire à qui en apparence on ne peut rien reprocher. Fille d'une sénatrice qui espère être réélue, Regan doit se montrer en tout temps parfaite pour espérer atteindre les attentes élevées que sa mère a placés en elle.
Mais Regan souffre de troubles d'anxiété sévères qu'elle essaie de cacher. Pour rester au top à l'école, elle essaie d'appliquer les règles que sa mère utilise en politique et n'hésite pas à trasher sur le dos des autres dès qu'elle le peut ainsi que rire avec son amie, Amber, au dépend d'autres élèves de son lycée.
Jusqu'au jour où des messages privés échangés avec ses amies sont placardées partout dans l'école et où tous ses camarades de classe apprennent toutes les méchancetés qu'elle a dites derrière leur dos.
Isolée et traitée en paria à son tour, c'est au côté de Nolan, le frère de sa meilleure amie qu'elle ne peut pas supporter - et réciproquement - qu'elle va tenter de reconstruire sa popularité.
Une fille populaire qui devient impopulaire du jour au lendemain, le sujet était fait pour me plaire. Pas que j'apprécie voir des gens qui font souffrir les autres souffrir à leur tour, mais simplement voir ce qu'ils cachent, qui ils sont vraiment une fois qu'on leur enlève toute la superficialité de leur statut.
Avec Regan, la mayonnaise a pris de suite, si je peux m'exprimer ainsi. Dès le début du roman, le lecteur comprend directement à qui il a affaire. Reagan est peut-être au top de l'échelle sociale à l'école, mais ce statut, sa vie, ne la rend pas particulièrement heureuse.
Dès lors, au lieu de la blâmer pour ce qu'elle a fait ou de me dire que c'était un juste retour des choses, je me suis pris de sympathie pour elle immédiatement.
L'histoire est très addictive. Je ne me suis jamais ennuyée. L'auteur nous tient dans son filet avec le harcèlement dont est victime Regan mais aussi et surtout grâce à la relation qui se met en place avec Nolan, le frère de sa meilleure amie, alors qu'ils ne peuvent pas se supporter l'un l'autre.
Chacun a des a priori sur l'autre et se retrouver du même côté va lever le voile sur l'autre.
J'ai adoré le personnage de Nolan. Bien qu'il se la joue un peu beaucoup par moments. Et que lui aussi a une face sombre que je n'ai pas apprécié.
Mais malgré ce côté romance, l'auteur ne quitte pas son objectif principal. Ce n'est pas une romance qui intègre le sujet du bullying mais bien un roman sur le bullying qui contient un peu de romance. Et la leçon qu'on retire de ce roman est grande et belle. Et me donne même de l'espoir de voir le scénario proposé en fin de roman se passer dans nos écoles, pour plus de tolérance envers l'autre et pour que l'école devienne un lieu où on aime se retrouver pour partager et non pas pour se quereller, sur médire les uns sur les autres, rendant l'épreuve de l'adolescence, du collège/lycée plus difficile qu'elles ne le sont déjà à la base.
Ce roman parle du sujet du bullying de manière si complète que j'ai l'impression qu'il en fait le tour de manière magistrale. Pas que je ne lirai pas d'autres livres sur le sujet mais il sera dorénavant mon standard en la matière.
Il montre les conséquences du bullying sur certaines personnes non armées à faire face aux méchancetés des autres (tentative de suicide) mais il montre aussi que harceler ceux qui ont harcelé revient à devenir soi-même harceleur, faisant naître ainsi un cercle vicieux sans fin.
Bref, j'ai adoré et je le conseille.
J'ai eu la chance de lire ce roman grâce au site NetGalley qui m'a permis de télécharger une version ARC numérique. Il va falloir cependant attendre le 28 avril 2015 pour sa sortie en VO. Autant vous dire que dès sa sortie, j'achèterai le paperback tellement je le désire dans ma bibliothèque.
Bref, lisez-le dès sa sortie ! Une petite pépite comme je les aime !
PREMIER COUP DE COEUR 2015 !
Vous allez croire que je le fais exprès d'avoir des coups de coeur sur des livres traitant du sujet du "bullying" mais j'ai trouvé que ce roman était juste parfait dans sa construction. Il se situe dans la même lignée que Tease (vu qu'on suit un bully qui devient bullied) mais le surpasse nettement par sa conclusion.
On suit Regan, une jeune fille populaire à qui en apparence on ne peut rien reprocher. Fille d'une sénatrice qui espère être réélue, Regan doit se montrer en tout temps parfaite pour espérer atteindre les attentes élevées que sa mère a placés en elle.
Mais Regan souffre de troubles d'anxiété sévères qu'elle essaie de cacher. Pour rester au top à l'école, elle essaie d'appliquer les règles que sa mère utilise en politique et n'hésite pas à trasher sur le dos des autres dès qu'elle le peut ainsi que rire avec son amie, Amber, au dépend d'autres élèves de son lycée.
Jusqu'au jour où des messages privés échangés avec ses amies sont placardées partout dans l'école et où tous ses camarades de classe apprennent toutes les méchancetés qu'elle a dites derrière leur dos.
Isolée et traitée en paria à son tour, c'est au côté de Nolan, le frère de sa meilleure amie qu'elle ne peut pas supporter - et réciproquement - qu'elle va tenter de reconstruire sa popularité.
Une fille populaire qui devient impopulaire du jour au lendemain, le sujet était fait pour me plaire. Pas que j'apprécie voir des gens qui font souffrir les autres souffrir à leur tour, mais simplement voir ce qu'ils cachent, qui ils sont vraiment une fois qu'on leur enlève toute la superficialité de leur statut.
Avec Regan, la mayonnaise a pris de suite, si je peux m'exprimer ainsi. Dès le début du roman, le lecteur comprend directement à qui il a affaire. Reagan est peut-être au top de l'échelle sociale à l'école, mais ce statut, sa vie, ne la rend pas particulièrement heureuse.
Dès lors, au lieu de la blâmer pour ce qu'elle a fait ou de me dire que c'était un juste retour des choses, je me suis pris de sympathie pour elle immédiatement.
L'histoire est très addictive. Je ne me suis jamais ennuyée. L'auteur nous tient dans son filet avec le harcèlement dont est victime Regan mais aussi et surtout grâce à la relation qui se met en place avec Nolan, le frère de sa meilleure amie, alors qu'ils ne peuvent pas se supporter l'un l'autre.
Chacun a des a priori sur l'autre et se retrouver du même côté va lever le voile sur l'autre.
J'ai adoré le personnage de Nolan. Bien qu'il se la joue un peu beaucoup par moments. Et que lui aussi a une face sombre que je n'ai pas apprécié.
Mais malgré ce côté romance, l'auteur ne quitte pas son objectif principal. Ce n'est pas une romance qui intègre le sujet du bullying mais bien un roman sur le bullying qui contient un peu de romance. Et la leçon qu'on retire de ce roman est grande et belle. Et me donne même de l'espoir de voir le scénario proposé en fin de roman se passer dans nos écoles, pour plus de tolérance envers l'autre et pour que l'école devienne un lieu où on aime se retrouver pour partager et non pas pour se quereller, sur médire les uns sur les autres, rendant l'épreuve de l'adolescence, du collège/lycée plus difficile qu'elles ne le sont déjà à la base.
Ce roman parle du sujet du bullying de manière si complète que j'ai l'impression qu'il en fait le tour de manière magistrale. Pas que je ne lirai pas d'autres livres sur le sujet mais il sera dorénavant mon standard en la matière.
Il montre les conséquences du bullying sur certaines personnes non armées à faire face aux méchancetés des autres (tentative de suicide) mais il montre aussi que harceler ceux qui ont harcelé revient à devenir soi-même harceleur, faisant naître ainsi un cercle vicieux sans fin.
Bref, j'ai adoré et je le conseille.
J'ai eu la chance de lire ce roman grâce au site NetGalley qui m'a permis de télécharger une version ARC numérique. Il va falloir cependant attendre le 28 avril 2015 pour sa sortie en VO. Autant vous dire que dès sa sortie, j'achèterai le paperback tellement je le désire dans ma bibliothèque.
Bref, lisez-le dès sa sortie ! Une petite pépite comme je les aime !
PREMIER COUP DE COEUR 2015 !
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