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Love & Profanity: A Collection of True, Tortured, Wild, Hilarious, Concise, and Intense Tales of Teenage Life
Love & Profanity features more than forty brief, brilliant, and unforgettable true stories from writers both renowned and on the rise. Discover strange and surprising scenes of people coming of age amidst the everyday intensity of teenage life. Witness transformative moments arising from the mundane. Behold the young adult in full splendor and horror, bursting with love and profanity.
232 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 2015
7 people are currently reading
510 people want to read
About the author
Nick Healy
41 books8 followersNick Healy is a short-story writer whose first book, It Takes You Over, won New Rivers Press’ Many Voices Project award and was released late in 2012. In a review of the collection, the Minneapolis Star Tribune said, “ … his fine stories seduce us. There is nothing simple in what Healy has accomplished here. Like the best writers, he only makes storytelling look easy.”
The book was named a finalist for a Minnesota Book Award in the Novel and Short Story category, which also included Louise Erdrich's The Round House, recent winner of the National Book Award.
Healy’s stories have appeared in many literary magazines and other publications, including North American Review, Water~Stone Review, Speakeasy, Minnesota Monthly, and Great River Review.
Earlier in his career, Healy wrote fiction and nonfiction for children.
The book was named a finalist for a Minnesota Book Award in the Novel and Short Story category, which also included Louise Erdrich's The Round House, recent winner of the National Book Award.
Healy’s stories have appeared in many literary magazines and other publications, including North American Review, Water~Stone Review, Speakeasy, Minnesota Monthly, and Great River Review.
Earlier in his career, Healy wrote fiction and nonfiction for children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
November 25, 2014
The problem is.. I can't relate to most of the stories. Some doesn't even make sense to me. I don't know if I'm stupid and I just couldn't get the 'symbol' that the story teller is trying to say but, I really don't get it.
The title and the cover really caught my attention. There's something so beautiful about reading other people's memories and their perspectives on love and on being a teenager.
August 9, 2016
Love & Profanity edited by Nick Healy
(2.84 rounded to) 3 stars
Three Stories About Water & Vomiting by Adam Rex- 1 star
I personally wasn’t impressed by this story. I considered it to be lame and irrelevant and probably the worst way to start a collection of essays. The first story should be good enough to make me want to keep going, no lackluster enough to make me question continuing with the collection because it makes me question how good the rest will be.
After Teen Years- Besides having a dinosaur last name, Adam doesn’t focus his genre writings to dinosaurs, but illustrious characters such as vampires and Frankenstein. His most famous novel is The True Meaning of Smekday, which is MG science fiction. He also wrote Fat Vampire, which his only story I ever heard of.
Breathless by Heather Sellers- 2 stars
Apparently this essay touches on all the things that I consider to be very unsafe.
After Teen Years-Sellers is predominately a writer of short stories and creative writing non-fiction. Her most famous piece of work is a memoir focusing on her neurological condition that prevents her from remembering peoples’ faces.
Girl Fight by Joey Franklin- 3 stars
Interesting perspective on what a young man thought about the label of “fat” and dating a fat girl.
After Teen Years- Franklin made his debut in 2015 with a collection of essays surrounding what it’s like to be a middle-aged white man with balding hair.
Power Drift by Jon Scieszka- 1 star
What an idiot.
After Teen Years- This man writes a lot of essays, and children’s stories. He has over 144 distinct works on GR- impressive.
Polypropylene by Ali Catt- 4 stars
Pretty sad that this captures how a lot of teen girls treat each other.
After Teen Years-Only featured in Love & Profanity and I can’t find anything about her. Elusive.
Why Is It Wet Here? By Carrie Mesrobian- 3 stars
A pretty funny story about a party and a party failure.
After Teen Years- She’s the writer of Sex & Violence (which I’m excited to read) and that story from last year that everyone hated called Cut Both Ways.
M-E-L-I-S-S-A by Melissa Brandt- 3.5 stars
Essay about a girl who is very unattached from her father.
After Teen Years- Debut author of a novel called Chased by Fame.
I Don’t Believe You by Clint Edwards- 2.5 stars
An embarrassing story about Edwards crapping his pants in high school. Poor soul.
After Teen Years- Debut author of a collection humorous nonfiction piece on parenting and marriage.
Vietnam, Minnesota by Pete Hautman- 2 stars
A story about him befriending a Vietnam vet and going way too fast in a speeding car.
After Teen Years- This guy has written a lot of novels in the YA and MG genre. I checked out his novel Sweetblood once at the library during my vampire phase and never read it.
Island Girls by Kasandra Duthie- 2 stars
The story focuses on Duthie’s teen years on two islands.
After Teen Years- She’s featured in this anthology.
The Ranks of a Million Guys by Kwame Alexander- 1 star
Focuses on Alexander’s experience on becoming the number one tennis player in hopes of impressing the girl he likes.
After Teen Years- A writer of poems, children’s books, and YA fiction in free verse form. This guy won a Newbery!
Confession by Anika Fajardo- 2 stars
She confesses her crush to her best friend and then ends the essay with a sentence about dying at the dance?
After Teen Years- She’s a nonfiction writer.
First Gear by Melodie Heide- 3.5 stars
After recently losing her mother, Heide finds solace in a guy who kind of likes her back.
After Teen Years- According to Amazon, her work has appeared in numerous publications. She writes about transient life.
The First Time I Had Sex, My Mouth Was Numb by Kyra Anderson- 4.5 stars
One of the most awkward and truthful representations of first time sex plus it has a killer title.
After Teen Years- She’s a mother of an autistic child and collaborated on a project about what it’s like.
Ambushed by Andrew Gottlieb- 2.5 stars
The story focuses on Gottlieb’s experiences working on a painting team during the summer as a teenager.
After Teen Years- He’s a writer of reviews, poems, essays, and memoirs.
A Ghost in the Mall by Natalie Singer -4 stars
A reflection of Singer going to the mall after school and not being able to buy anything due to her poor family life and being blessed with an okay-face; a very touching story.
After Teen Years- Her author profile is to funny to not just copy and paste: “Natalie Singer was born and half-raised in Montreal, Canada, before being uprooted and moved―at age 16―to the mythical, ice-cream-colored land of California, where she had to finish raising herself. There, she discovered burritos, tried to become cool on the streets of San Francisco, and made out with lots of frogs before she finally found a prince. She's now a writer in Seattle.”
A Most Dangerous Game by Alexis Wiggins- 5 stars
My favorite essay of the collection! Essay focusing on the perils of being a young woman and has a chilling scene where her co-worker says that someday he’ll rape someone and it could be Wiggins.
“It wasn’t men who were hunted.”
After Teen Years- She’s been writing since she was little, but has yet to publish a novel. I think this is her first time being published in a book!
The Causeway by Margaret MacInnis- 3 stars
Focuses on when Margaret is eight-years-old and sees her father not being able to do the things he used to because of age.
After Teen Years- She has a lot of essays published in review publications and that’s cool.
Orchard by Kim Lozano- 2.5 stars
Essay about the time she offers a place to stay for a young lady who seems to be on the run.
After Teen Years- She’s an editor of a literary magazine and teaches creative writing. Her poetry has been published.
Weightless by Steve Brezenoff- 2 stars
Brezenoff was a wallflower who attended a party.
After Teen Years- This is the only author who I knew by name for sure because I used to want to read his book The Absolute Value of-1.
After the Party by Geoff Herbach- 1 star
I honestly have no clue what even happened in this essay.
After Teen Years- He has a lot of published YA novels and his most popular is the title Stupid Fast.
On the Third Day by Tom Moran- 2.5 stars
Dirty fighting!
After Teen Years- Has a humorous novel called Dinosaurs and Prime Numbers.
How to Succeed by Actually Trying by Dayna Evans- 3 stars
Discusses Evans meeting full potential as an already smart student and pushing herself.
After Teen Years- She’s been published in two essay collections.
Ten Years Ago by Sarah Beth Childers- 3.5 stars
A deep essay focuses on ten years ago from Childer’s perspective and then twenty years as time goes by.
After Teen Years- Write short stories and has been featured in two YA ones and her own essay collection.
End of the Half by Patrick Hueller- 1 star
Focuses on Hueller’s coach getting mad at his failure of a basketball team.
After Teen Years- He has a few published indie works.
Suspended by Kyle Minor- 1.5 stars
When Minor finally got rid of one bully he gets cornered by his brother.
After Teen Years- He has several short stories and novellas published into personal collections.
Girl/Thing by Anna Vodicka- 3.5 stars
The story focuses on Vodicka’s experience as a babysitter and being taken advantage of by the father.
After Teen Years- It says in her profile she’s doesn’t miss babysitting. It’s funny, but it’s not because of the incident she went through.
Saying Goodbye to Anna by Jackie Buckle- 5 stars
I just realized the author above the before story is named Anna; did they do that on purpose?
Another absolute favorite about “Anna” or anorexia and it was absolutely harrowing and beautiful.
After Teen Years- She wrote something called Half My Facebook Friends are Ferrets and lol.
The Catch by Melissa Cistaro- 1.5 stars
The mother finds beauty in fish guts? My notes are so weird. LOL
After Teen Years- Cistaro is the writer of Pieces of My Mother: A Memoir.
The World is in a Stump by Will Weaver- 2 stars
Weaver’s experiences hunting by himself for the first time.
After Teen Years- He has a lot of books published and his prominent is Memory Boy.
Mosquito Man by Da Chen- 2.5 stars
Chronicles Chen’s love for the blind man’s stories in his village and how he became his own storyteller.
After Teen Years- He has several published works and his most popular novel is Color of the Mountain.
Confessions of a Pretend Boyfriend by Aaron Brown- 3 stars
As a freshman Brown was invited to prom only to be replaced by an army buff once he arrived.
After Teen Years- Brown has many published works and his most well-known is The Poker Face of Wall Street.
Dating Magic by Laurie Edwards- 3.5 stars
A cute story about Edwards trying to get a date for friends and coincidentally ended up meeting a cute guy herself.
After Teen Years- She is a nonfiction author who focuses on mental illnesses.
Smiling Joe by Joseph Bruchac- 3 stars
Joe smiles throughout everything; even when breaking a tooth.
After Teen Years- He has multiple published works, and I mean multiple as in 177!
Warrior by Trisha Speed Shaskan- 2.5 stars
Essay focuses on her skater girl years.
After Teen Years- She teaches creative writing to both children and adults.
Solo by Esther Porter- 2.5 stars
Essay focuses on Porter overcoming her fear of her solo choir performance in high school.
After Teen Years- She’s the author of multiple children’s books.
Singing Along by Kara Balcerzak- 3 stars
Two unlikely girls build a friendship over a band and experience seeing them live.
After Teen Years- The author of children’s books and essays.
Hard to Swallow by Jenna Scarbroguh- 2.5 stars
In her freshman year of college, Jenna finds a lump in her breast that could be cancerous. I just couldn’t connect to this one.
After Teen Years- She is currently attending college and I think that this is a very recent diagnosis.
Best Friends by Rachel Hanel- 4 stars
Representation of how one friend symbolizes the good part of life no matter how little time is spent together.
After Teen Years- She’s the writer of several interactive history novels and that sounds really cool!
Big Red by Jessica Gunderson- 3 stars
Story focuses on what it’s like to take the ACT test the morning after being drugged at a party.
After Teen Years- She writes children’s fiction predominately focusing on black people in history.
The Later Days of Jean by Rebecca Stranborough- 3 stars
A brief look into what dealing with a grandma who has passed away is like.
After Teen Years- She writes novels focuses on the world’s greatest architectural sites.
All Treasures by Patti Kim- 2 stars
Kim lies about her life throughout high school because she is ashamed her low financial background.
After Teen Years- She has two published works.
Letter to My Sixteen-Year-Old Self by Alison McGhee- 5 stars
Emotional letter about being free when you are older and I just really connected to this.
After Teen Years- She’s a NYT #1 Bestselling Author!
Cover Thoughts: This book has three different covers. The one I was accepted for on NG. The one that popped up on my galley copy and then the rereleased cover. I like the newest one best.
Thank you, Netgalley and Switch Press for allowing me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
(2.84 rounded to) 3 stars
This is another short story analogy/ essay collection that had the potential to be great but fell flat. Love & Profanity revolves around author essays on true events in their lives. I haven’t read any essay anthologies before this, but I know that several out there, like Bully, exist and are highly acclaimed in hopes that young readers will pick them up seeing high profile authors’ names on the covers. It’s a good marketing skill, but I don’t think I know almost any of these authors. Almost all of them are names I’ve never heard of before and I think that lessened my connection. I have a theory that if I know what an author writes like and follow them on social media then I’ll be more likely to enjoy reading snippets of their teen lives and experiences. Since I knew almost none of these authors, I’m putting stock into that theory for this anthology (I’ll test that theory with Bully later on).
This collection is huge- 84 stories- if I counted correctly and most of the essays are brief. I think the longest one was ten or twelve pages so it’s hard to judge writing style completely for every story, but I had my trusty notebook and pink pen handy while reading and was able to chronicle all my thoughts while reading. (It’s a good thing I did that since I read this collection literally one year ago.) My formatting will be the essay, rating, brief thoughts, and then some research I compiled on the author.
Three Stories About Water & Vomiting by Adam Rex- 1 star
I personally wasn’t impressed by this story. I considered it to be lame and irrelevant and probably the worst way to start a collection of essays. The first story should be good enough to make me want to keep going, no lackluster enough to make me question continuing with the collection because it makes me question how good the rest will be.
After Teen Years- Besides having a dinosaur last name, Adam doesn’t focus his genre writings to dinosaurs, but illustrious characters such as vampires and Frankenstein. His most famous novel is The True Meaning of Smekday, which is MG science fiction. He also wrote Fat Vampire, which his only story I ever heard of.
Breathless by Heather Sellers- 2 stars
Apparently this essay touches on all the things that I consider to be very unsafe.
After Teen Years-Sellers is predominately a writer of short stories and creative writing non-fiction. Her most famous piece of work is a memoir focusing on her neurological condition that prevents her from remembering peoples’ faces.
Girl Fight by Joey Franklin- 3 stars
Interesting perspective on what a young man thought about the label of “fat” and dating a fat girl.
After Teen Years- Franklin made his debut in 2015 with a collection of essays surrounding what it’s like to be a middle-aged white man with balding hair.
Power Drift by Jon Scieszka- 1 star
What an idiot.
After Teen Years- This man writes a lot of essays, and children’s stories. He has over 144 distinct works on GR- impressive.
Polypropylene by Ali Catt- 4 stars
Pretty sad that this captures how a lot of teen girls treat each other.
After Teen Years-Only featured in Love & Profanity and I can’t find anything about her. Elusive.
Why Is It Wet Here? By Carrie Mesrobian- 3 stars
A pretty funny story about a party and a party failure.
After Teen Years- She’s the writer of Sex & Violence (which I’m excited to read) and that story from last year that everyone hated called Cut Both Ways.
M-E-L-I-S-S-A by Melissa Brandt- 3.5 stars
Essay about a girl who is very unattached from her father.
After Teen Years- Debut author of a novel called Chased by Fame.
I Don’t Believe You by Clint Edwards- 2.5 stars
An embarrassing story about Edwards crapping his pants in high school. Poor soul.
After Teen Years- Debut author of a collection humorous nonfiction piece on parenting and marriage.
Vietnam, Minnesota by Pete Hautman- 2 stars
A story about him befriending a Vietnam vet and going way too fast in a speeding car.
After Teen Years- This guy has written a lot of novels in the YA and MG genre. I checked out his novel Sweetblood once at the library during my vampire phase and never read it.
Island Girls by Kasandra Duthie- 2 stars
The story focuses on Duthie’s teen years on two islands.
After Teen Years- She’s featured in this anthology.
The Ranks of a Million Guys by Kwame Alexander- 1 star
Focuses on Alexander’s experience on becoming the number one tennis player in hopes of impressing the girl he likes.
After Teen Years- A writer of poems, children’s books, and YA fiction in free verse form. This guy won a Newbery!
Confession by Anika Fajardo- 2 stars
She confesses her crush to her best friend and then ends the essay with a sentence about dying at the dance?
After Teen Years- She’s a nonfiction writer.
First Gear by Melodie Heide- 3.5 stars
After recently losing her mother, Heide finds solace in a guy who kind of likes her back.
After Teen Years- According to Amazon, her work has appeared in numerous publications. She writes about transient life.
The First Time I Had Sex, My Mouth Was Numb by Kyra Anderson- 4.5 stars
One of the most awkward and truthful representations of first time sex plus it has a killer title.
After Teen Years- She’s a mother of an autistic child and collaborated on a project about what it’s like.
Ambushed by Andrew Gottlieb- 2.5 stars
The story focuses on Gottlieb’s experiences working on a painting team during the summer as a teenager.
After Teen Years- He’s a writer of reviews, poems, essays, and memoirs.
A Ghost in the Mall by Natalie Singer -4 stars
A reflection of Singer going to the mall after school and not being able to buy anything due to her poor family life and being blessed with an okay-face; a very touching story.
After Teen Years- Her author profile is to funny to not just copy and paste: “Natalie Singer was born and half-raised in Montreal, Canada, before being uprooted and moved―at age 16―to the mythical, ice-cream-colored land of California, where she had to finish raising herself. There, she discovered burritos, tried to become cool on the streets of San Francisco, and made out with lots of frogs before she finally found a prince. She's now a writer in Seattle.”
A Most Dangerous Game by Alexis Wiggins- 5 stars
My favorite essay of the collection! Essay focusing on the perils of being a young woman and has a chilling scene where her co-worker says that someday he’ll rape someone and it could be Wiggins.
“It wasn’t men who were hunted.”
After Teen Years- She’s been writing since she was little, but has yet to publish a novel. I think this is her first time being published in a book!
The Causeway by Margaret MacInnis- 3 stars
Focuses on when Margaret is eight-years-old and sees her father not being able to do the things he used to because of age.
After Teen Years- She has a lot of essays published in review publications and that’s cool.
Orchard by Kim Lozano- 2.5 stars
Essay about the time she offers a place to stay for a young lady who seems to be on the run.
After Teen Years- She’s an editor of a literary magazine and teaches creative writing. Her poetry has been published.
Weightless by Steve Brezenoff- 2 stars
Brezenoff was a wallflower who attended a party.
After Teen Years- This is the only author who I knew by name for sure because I used to want to read his book The Absolute Value of-1.
After the Party by Geoff Herbach- 1 star
I honestly have no clue what even happened in this essay.
After Teen Years- He has a lot of published YA novels and his most popular is the title Stupid Fast.
On the Third Day by Tom Moran- 2.5 stars
Dirty fighting!
After Teen Years- Has a humorous novel called Dinosaurs and Prime Numbers.
How to Succeed by Actually Trying by Dayna Evans- 3 stars
Discusses Evans meeting full potential as an already smart student and pushing herself.
After Teen Years- She’s been published in two essay collections.
Ten Years Ago by Sarah Beth Childers- 3.5 stars
A deep essay focuses on ten years ago from Childer’s perspective and then twenty years as time goes by.
After Teen Years- Write short stories and has been featured in two YA ones and her own essay collection.
End of the Half by Patrick Hueller- 1 star
Focuses on Hueller’s coach getting mad at his failure of a basketball team.
After Teen Years- He has a few published indie works.
Suspended by Kyle Minor- 1.5 stars
When Minor finally got rid of one bully he gets cornered by his brother.
After Teen Years- He has several short stories and novellas published into personal collections.
Girl/Thing by Anna Vodicka- 3.5 stars
The story focuses on Vodicka’s experience as a babysitter and being taken advantage of by the father.
After Teen Years- It says in her profile she’s doesn’t miss babysitting. It’s funny, but it’s not because of the incident she went through.
Saying Goodbye to Anna by Jackie Buckle- 5 stars
I just realized the author above the before story is named Anna; did they do that on purpose?
Another absolute favorite about “Anna” or anorexia and it was absolutely harrowing and beautiful.
After Teen Years- She wrote something called Half My Facebook Friends are Ferrets and lol.
The Catch by Melissa Cistaro- 1.5 stars
The mother finds beauty in fish guts? My notes are so weird. LOL
After Teen Years- Cistaro is the writer of Pieces of My Mother: A Memoir.
The World is in a Stump by Will Weaver- 2 stars
Weaver’s experiences hunting by himself for the first time.
After Teen Years- He has a lot of books published and his prominent is Memory Boy.
Mosquito Man by Da Chen- 2.5 stars
Chronicles Chen’s love for the blind man’s stories in his village and how he became his own storyteller.
After Teen Years- He has several published works and his most popular novel is Color of the Mountain.
Confessions of a Pretend Boyfriend by Aaron Brown- 3 stars
As a freshman Brown was invited to prom only to be replaced by an army buff once he arrived.
After Teen Years- Brown has many published works and his most well-known is The Poker Face of Wall Street.
Dating Magic by Laurie Edwards- 3.5 stars
A cute story about Edwards trying to get a date for friends and coincidentally ended up meeting a cute guy herself.
After Teen Years- She is a nonfiction author who focuses on mental illnesses.
Smiling Joe by Joseph Bruchac- 3 stars
Joe smiles throughout everything; even when breaking a tooth.
After Teen Years- He has multiple published works, and I mean multiple as in 177!
Warrior by Trisha Speed Shaskan- 2.5 stars
Essay focuses on her skater girl years.
After Teen Years- She teaches creative writing to both children and adults.
Solo by Esther Porter- 2.5 stars
Essay focuses on Porter overcoming her fear of her solo choir performance in high school.
After Teen Years- She’s the author of multiple children’s books.
Singing Along by Kara Balcerzak- 3 stars
Two unlikely girls build a friendship over a band and experience seeing them live.
After Teen Years- The author of children’s books and essays.
Hard to Swallow by Jenna Scarbroguh- 2.5 stars
In her freshman year of college, Jenna finds a lump in her breast that could be cancerous. I just couldn’t connect to this one.
After Teen Years- She is currently attending college and I think that this is a very recent diagnosis.
Best Friends by Rachel Hanel- 4 stars
Representation of how one friend symbolizes the good part of life no matter how little time is spent together.
After Teen Years- She’s the writer of several interactive history novels and that sounds really cool!
Big Red by Jessica Gunderson- 3 stars
Story focuses on what it’s like to take the ACT test the morning after being drugged at a party.
After Teen Years- She writes children’s fiction predominately focusing on black people in history.
The Later Days of Jean by Rebecca Stranborough- 3 stars
A brief look into what dealing with a grandma who has passed away is like.
After Teen Years- She writes novels focuses on the world’s greatest architectural sites.
All Treasures by Patti Kim- 2 stars
Kim lies about her life throughout high school because she is ashamed her low financial background.
After Teen Years- She has two published works.
Letter to My Sixteen-Year-Old Self by Alison McGhee- 5 stars
Emotional letter about being free when you are older and I just really connected to this.
After Teen Years- She’s a NYT #1 Bestselling Author!
There were some good ones in here, but also some duds. If you are interested in picking this up I definitely recommend checking it out from the library.
Cover Thoughts: This book has three different covers. The one I was accepted for on NG. The one that popped up on my galley copy and then the rereleased cover. I like the newest one best.
Thank you, Netgalley and Switch Press for allowing me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
November 18, 2014
A wonderful collection of short stories. All of the stories were well written, ranging from powerful, humorous, to tender, sweeping various decades as well as a wide age span of individual characters. I smiled, laughed out loud, became teary eyed with the various messages and content. More than a few hit home, most I could relate to in some form. A collection transporting you to days of youth, or jogging your memory of a friend or of your own child. Provoking, affecting and fun, a collection not to be missed. Great authors spinning fabulous yarns. Short story fans and/or those fond of reminiscing of teen years will undoubtedly enjoy Love & Profanity.
September 3, 2014
Okay the cover got me on this one. I mean I loved it right away and knew I had to read it. Plus who could miss stories of love from people we admire? Well this is a great read and the love stories and things that happened had me laughing and crying at the same time. Lord I could not wait to turn the page and keep reading because it was so interesting.
To me first love is the one you remember and base all other loves on and it is not fair to that other person but it is the way life rolls sometimes. should you love them or not is the question. Are they worthy of that love or will they take your heart and break it?
This is a must read for all teens experiencing their first loves or likes.
To me first love is the one you remember and base all other loves on and it is not fair to that other person but it is the way life rolls sometimes. should you love them or not is the question. Are they worthy of that love or will they take your heart and break it?
This is a must read for all teens experiencing their first loves or likes.
August 26, 2017
I really enjoyed this book! I'm not usually a fan of short stories but this collection is too good to miss.
I love the vast collection of stories of first love and the heartaches and overwhelming joy that come with it. This book would make you laugh, cry, smile and long for that feeling of the first time you realized you were in love. It's real, raw and relatable. There is bound to be a story for everyone so if you're looking for a sweet and heartwarming book I recommend you read this.
There's still a lot of room for improvement though so I rate it 3 of 5 stars.
I received an arc via NetGalley to read and review.
I love the vast collection of stories of first love and the heartaches and overwhelming joy that come with it. This book would make you laugh, cry, smile and long for that feeling of the first time you realized you were in love. It's real, raw and relatable. There is bound to be a story for everyone so if you're looking for a sweet and heartwarming book I recommend you read this.
There's still a lot of room for improvement though so I rate it 3 of 5 stars.
I received an arc via NetGalley to read and review.
February 27, 2015
I received this from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
Love & Profanity is a good book, if only I could have read this is high school I would have loved it! I love stories like these, of teenage love. This book reminds me of one that I had read back in middle school called Chicken Soup for the Soul. I was obsessed with that book back then. But the only thing was the grammar other then that i liked it. Hopefully I get to see more of stories like these in the future.
Posted also on katifornia91.blogspot.com
Love & Profanity is a good book, if only I could have read this is high school I would have loved it! I love stories like these, of teenage love. This book reminds me of one that I had read back in middle school called Chicken Soup for the Soul. I was obsessed with that book back then. But the only thing was the grammar other then that i liked it. Hopefully I get to see more of stories like these in the future.
Posted also on katifornia91.blogspot.com
January 29, 2016
*I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.*
I have to say, I only got about 30-ish pages in, and I had to call it quits. This book is a collection of stories from different authors, all of which - to my understanding - has written out their very real romantic life stories. And honestly, they were putting me to sleep. I had to stop reading because this book was just so boring. From what I read, there just isn't any pizazz involved in any of the stories.
This was a great idea, and Im sure that many people might like it, but for me, Love & Profanity was a miss.
I have to say, I only got about 30-ish pages in, and I had to call it quits. This book is a collection of stories from different authors, all of which - to my understanding - has written out their very real romantic life stories. And honestly, they were putting me to sleep. I had to stop reading because this book was just so boring. From what I read, there just isn't any pizazz involved in any of the stories.
This was a great idea, and Im sure that many people might like it, but for me, Love & Profanity was a miss.
December 23, 2014
I received an ARC of this book from the publishers and was very excited to get into it. At first, I was moderately interested. The short stories about the authors' teenage years were entertaining. However, it got very dull, very quickly. I grew bored with the stories- most of them (to be honest) just weren't that interesting.
That being said, while this wasn't the book for me, I can totally see other people liking it. Think "Chicken Soup for the Soul."
That being said, while this wasn't the book for me, I can totally see other people liking it. Think "Chicken Soup for the Soul."
November 2, 2015
Thank you Netgalley and Switch Press for my ebook copy of this book.
A collection of all those adolescence stories that we would all love to forget or have kept to ourselves and our parents. It's a neat read and I found myself connecting with some of the stories and it evoked some of my own memories of being a teen. I would have preferred if some of the stories were longer so I could know what happened to the people in them. All in all, it's not a bad read.
A collection of all those adolescence stories that we would all love to forget or have kept to ourselves and our parents. It's a neat read and I found myself connecting with some of the stories and it evoked some of my own memories of being a teen. I would have preferred if some of the stories were longer so I could know what happened to the people in them. All in all, it's not a bad read.
July 29, 2018
Some of these stories I loved and most I really enjoyed. There were many I want to share with my students as mentor texts. A few made me chuckle- especially more than a few of the author bios.
I read recently about a girl who loved reading short story anthologies because she could enjoy a whole story even when she didn’t have a lot of time to read. I’d never really thought about that, but it’s a good thought, and if that is you- than most definitely try this book. Or if you’re like me and just tend to like ya and good stories, then check it out too.
I read recently about a girl who loved reading short story anthologies because she could enjoy a whole story even when she didn’t have a lot of time to read. I’d never really thought about that, but it’s a good thought, and if that is you- than most definitely try this book. Or if you’re like me and just tend to like ya and good stories, then check it out too.
November 23, 2018
Anthology of essays by YA writers, talking about love, relationships, and being a teenager.
I loved the cover (the red one). I loved the idea of essays about being a teenager. But these are less essays and more like Instagram or Polaroid snapshots. Some were barely two pages! Some were hilarious. Some were meaningful. Most were just those brief memories that are seared into your brain for some reason. I wanted so much more from this. Heck, half the time the author bios were half as long as the contribution was.
I loved the cover (the red one). I loved the idea of essays about being a teenager. But these are less essays and more like Instagram or Polaroid snapshots. Some were barely two pages! Some were hilarious. Some were meaningful. Most were just those brief memories that are seared into your brain for some reason. I wanted so much more from this. Heck, half the time the author bios were half as long as the contribution was.
July 26, 2019
This collection of short stories was excellent! All emotions were present but in the right proportions. The authors did not sugar coat their teenage years, nor did they over-exaggerate the bad times. There were moments of laughter along with some tears.
The novel looks at all aspects of a teenagers life - family, school, work, friends, future, community, and yes dating. Every story shows how the author does grow and many could be used as a discussion with teens in various situations straight out of the book.
The novel looks at all aspects of a teenagers life - family, school, work, friends, future, community, and yes dating. Every story shows how the author does grow and many could be used as a discussion with teens in various situations straight out of the book.
June 21, 2019
This book is a great collection of short stories about love, life, and growing up as seen through the eyes of a teenager. The essays are written by different authors and they tell stories from their respective teenage years and let the reader try to relate to at least one if not more of the stories told.
April 26, 2018
Not what I was hoping for and I don’t think students will find many of the stories funny or relatable.
October 11, 2014
Goodreads Synopsis: Here are more than forty short, brilliant, and unforgettable true stories from writers famous and on-the-rise. Here is the intensity of daily life. Here are transformative moments arising from the mundane. Here are strange and surprising tales that tap into universal truths. Here are teenagers in full splendor and horror. Here they are, bursting with love and profanity.
My Review: To be honest, I requested this book because I thought I'd like a change for once, a book of short stories, and because I liked the cover on the book. I thought it would be awesome, and interesting. And for most of the stories, it was. I didn't realize it was non-fiction, and that the stories in the book were actually people's memories. That's always cool. Some of them I really loved, and couldn't believe they were true. Some of them, I didn't like at all. All in all, it was a good read. It took a while for me to get through it, but that's because I hate reading on the computer, and I couldn't download it onto my kindle app on my phone. Here we go. There's over fourty stories in here, and I'll just tell you what I thought about all of them. The first four stories weren't something I really loved. They were alright. They didn't really interest me, though. The fifth story was amazing. I felt so bad for the person in the story, the twelve year old, and "Scary Carrie" especially. If I were there I would've been their friends. Didn't really like the sixth story, but I don't really relate to the whole party scene because I don't drink, and I don't party. The seventh story was really sad, the eighth story was a harsh reality, because shit happens. Literally. The ninth story wasn't something I could directly relate to, but that doesn't mean it didn't scare me... Story number ten was strange, eleven was cute, and twelve was depressing, and I liked it. I can really see how these stories are transformative, and they stick with you. Story number thirteen was funny, the ha-ha kind. The fourteenth story wasn't really something I would read normally, but I will say that I really didn't like the boss. Story fifteen wasn't a story I really liked or disliked. The sixteenth story scared me a lot. The seventeenth story was good, but a little confusing towards the end. The main character in the eighteenth story reminded me of me. Story number nineteen really confused me, but I kind of liked being confused by it. Number twenty marked the halfway point in the book for me, and I have to say that it really scared me, mostly because I couldn't believe that this was someone's memory, and that someone really did what happened in it. I could relate really well with story number twenty one, and I liked that. The twenty second story was about getting older, or that's what I got out of it anyways. I'm not really sure I liked the twenty third story, there wasn't anything I could really relate to in it, but I can't relate to every single story, can I? Reading the twenty fourth story was strange. It's like I know what it's about, but it's on the tip of my tongue, and I can't completely place it. Reading the twenty fifth story scared me more than the others scared me, but that's because I can't believe that some of these stories are someone's memories. Story twenty six felt very inspirational to me. I'd like more people to read it. Twenty seven was short and sweet, Twenty eight seemed to be about growing up, but it wasn't really my thing because I don't hunt. I liked story number twenty nine a lot. I'd love to read more. Fort FistPunch made me laugh in story number thirty. The rest of the story confused me, though. Story thirty one was cute, thirty two was a good story, and smiles are always a good thing. Number thirty three was strange, and thirty four was a good story about pushing through your fears, or that's how I interpreted it anyways. Thirty five was about making friends and memories, and having adventures. Thirty six was about someone who finds out they have cancer, but has to be strong for their family, even though it's a lot of work. Thirty seven was a harsh truth, and I loved it. I couldn't really get into thirty eight, and thirty nine was a sad story. It made me say aweh. I liked story number fourty, but I'm not sure why, and the last story, fourty one, was a good story about growing up. I liked a lot of these stories and I'm glad I got the chance to read the book. Definitely check it out if you like being surprised by people's memories, or if you just need something new to read. Thanks for reading.
(Radioactivebookreviews.wordpress.com)
My Review: To be honest, I requested this book because I thought I'd like a change for once, a book of short stories, and because I liked the cover on the book. I thought it would be awesome, and interesting. And for most of the stories, it was. I didn't realize it was non-fiction, and that the stories in the book were actually people's memories. That's always cool. Some of them I really loved, and couldn't believe they were true. Some of them, I didn't like at all. All in all, it was a good read. It took a while for me to get through it, but that's because I hate reading on the computer, and I couldn't download it onto my kindle app on my phone. Here we go. There's over fourty stories in here, and I'll just tell you what I thought about all of them. The first four stories weren't something I really loved. They were alright. They didn't really interest me, though. The fifth story was amazing. I felt so bad for the person in the story, the twelve year old, and "Scary Carrie" especially. If I were there I would've been their friends. Didn't really like the sixth story, but I don't really relate to the whole party scene because I don't drink, and I don't party. The seventh story was really sad, the eighth story was a harsh reality, because shit happens. Literally. The ninth story wasn't something I could directly relate to, but that doesn't mean it didn't scare me... Story number ten was strange, eleven was cute, and twelve was depressing, and I liked it. I can really see how these stories are transformative, and they stick with you. Story number thirteen was funny, the ha-ha kind. The fourteenth story wasn't really something I would read normally, but I will say that I really didn't like the boss. Story fifteen wasn't a story I really liked or disliked. The sixteenth story scared me a lot. The seventeenth story was good, but a little confusing towards the end. The main character in the eighteenth story reminded me of me. Story number nineteen really confused me, but I kind of liked being confused by it. Number twenty marked the halfway point in the book for me, and I have to say that it really scared me, mostly because I couldn't believe that this was someone's memory, and that someone really did what happened in it. I could relate really well with story number twenty one, and I liked that. The twenty second story was about getting older, or that's what I got out of it anyways. I'm not really sure I liked the twenty third story, there wasn't anything I could really relate to in it, but I can't relate to every single story, can I? Reading the twenty fourth story was strange. It's like I know what it's about, but it's on the tip of my tongue, and I can't completely place it. Reading the twenty fifth story scared me more than the others scared me, but that's because I can't believe that some of these stories are someone's memories. Story twenty six felt very inspirational to me. I'd like more people to read it. Twenty seven was short and sweet, Twenty eight seemed to be about growing up, but it wasn't really my thing because I don't hunt. I liked story number twenty nine a lot. I'd love to read more. Fort FistPunch made me laugh in story number thirty. The rest of the story confused me, though. Story thirty one was cute, thirty two was a good story, and smiles are always a good thing. Number thirty three was strange, and thirty four was a good story about pushing through your fears, or that's how I interpreted it anyways. Thirty five was about making friends and memories, and having adventures. Thirty six was about someone who finds out they have cancer, but has to be strong for their family, even though it's a lot of work. Thirty seven was a harsh truth, and I loved it. I couldn't really get into thirty eight, and thirty nine was a sad story. It made me say aweh. I liked story number fourty, but I'm not sure why, and the last story, fourty one, was a good story about growing up. I liked a lot of these stories and I'm glad I got the chance to read the book. Definitely check it out if you like being surprised by people's memories, or if you just need something new to read. Thanks for reading.
(Radioactivebookreviews.wordpress.com)
July 9, 2016
This review can also be found on A Thousand Lives Lived, check it out for more!
Love and Profanity first caught my attention when I saw its cover. NOT THE ONE WITH THE TONGUE AND THE TONGUE RING. That one is really nasty. But this one, the one with the red and the heart on it. I came into this preferring an anthology that is about sweet love and first love, and how couples do not have it great twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. I was looking forward to be reading (really) short stories by authors who I have never heard about prior to. Switch Press, I must say, this was not a good book, nor a good anthology. It's the worst anthology I have ever read, compared to the others that have come into my life. Love and Profanity has a little to do with love, but nothing to do with profanity. I mean, to describe it, I would love to use profanity in the meantime, but none of it was found here. The title doesn't make sense at all, to begin with.
These stories were actually really, really short. I could definitely have written some stories that were better than a few that were here. Some of them were so stupid that I had to skip it or else my mind was going to explode. People—there was one about a guy who would poo to his pants and a girl saw him do it. I was reading this at school and I had my friend read that one. She couldn't believe the book that I was reading. *laughs out loud* And then there were the few good ones that actually left an impact on me, like the ones about tests or the one about the girl living in Florida and has issues with her father. But honestly? This book is not the guide to adolescence or however you prefer to call it. I couldn't relate to hardly any of the stories and they're just not me. This is a completion of weird stories.
It's a quick read, when you think about it. I like reading anthologies because the plot keeps changing. I cannot review this novel on its plot because there are so many stories, and like always, some are better or worse than others. Some were relatable, most were not. I didn't like the way that love was portrayed here, but I guess that some teenagers see it the way it was written. (Back to the poop story)
I should have DNFed this, you know? It was a waste for me because I didn't take no happiness out of this book at all. No enjoyment, whatsoever.
Love and Profanity is a quick, short read, but at the same time, it took me a while longer because I hadn't felt like finishing it. You're better off without it, but there are a few stories that were brilliant. I must look into the books of those particular authors.
*A review copy was provided by the publisher via BookExpo America in exchange for a honest review. Thank you so much!*
Love and Profanity first caught my attention when I saw its cover. NOT THE ONE WITH THE TONGUE AND THE TONGUE RING. That one is really nasty. But this one, the one with the red and the heart on it. I came into this preferring an anthology that is about sweet love and first love, and how couples do not have it great twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. I was looking forward to be reading (really) short stories by authors who I have never heard about prior to. Switch Press, I must say, this was not a good book, nor a good anthology. It's the worst anthology I have ever read, compared to the others that have come into my life. Love and Profanity has a little to do with love, but nothing to do with profanity. I mean, to describe it, I would love to use profanity in the meantime, but none of it was found here. The title doesn't make sense at all, to begin with.
These stories were actually really, really short. I could definitely have written some stories that were better than a few that were here. Some of them were so stupid that I had to skip it or else my mind was going to explode. People—there was one about a guy who would poo to his pants and a girl saw him do it. I was reading this at school and I had my friend read that one. She couldn't believe the book that I was reading. *laughs out loud* And then there were the few good ones that actually left an impact on me, like the ones about tests or the one about the girl living in Florida and has issues with her father. But honestly? This book is not the guide to adolescence or however you prefer to call it. I couldn't relate to hardly any of the stories and they're just not me. This is a completion of weird stories.
It's a quick read, when you think about it. I like reading anthologies because the plot keeps changing. I cannot review this novel on its plot because there are so many stories, and like always, some are better or worse than others. Some were relatable, most were not. I didn't like the way that love was portrayed here, but I guess that some teenagers see it the way it was written. (Back to the poop story)
I should have DNFed this, you know? It was a waste for me because I didn't take no happiness out of this book at all. No enjoyment, whatsoever.
Love and Profanity is a quick, short read, but at the same time, it took me a while longer because I hadn't felt like finishing it. You're better off without it, but there are a few stories that were brilliant. I must look into the books of those particular authors.
*A review copy was provided by the publisher via BookExpo America in exchange for a honest review. Thank you so much!*
October 13, 2014
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I was very excited to be able to read this book as soon as I saw it, but it didn’t quite live up to my expectations. Love and Profanity is a collection of essays from various writers from different backgrounds about their teenage years. Think, Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul, but with a cover and title like this, maybe one teens wouldn’t be a little shy about reading in public. My biggest issue with the book is probably just a function of reading an uncorrected proof.
The cover had me under the impression that this would be a contemporary collection, but you actually have an unpredictable range from high school seniors in the twenty-first century to “eleven almost twelve” year olds in 1976. Although it was probably intended to make the point that the experiences and feelings of being a teen are universal and timeless, some of the stories don’t set the stage very well and the uncorrected proof did not include many of the author bios. A longer piece might’ve been able to get away with a little ambiguity, but getting halfway through an eight page piece before finding out the context was unsettling and led to a lot of confused re-reads. While the book is geared towards teens and even suggested for as late as 14+, there were quite a few stories about younger kids which seems alienating towards high schoolers trying to find some connection with their peers.
As for the stories themselves, the quality was generally good and with such a variety, there should be something for everyone. There were a few awesome reads, a few that were well-written but anti-climactic or a little pointless, and even one that I think should be taken out entirely. I would be interested in seeing which pieces were written by established authors and which were current teens on the rise, which should be included in the final edition. The editing was not very tight with either the concept or content—for instance, I didn’t see how a lot of the stories fit their headings (the book was divided into three sections “Love and Profanity,” “Love and Physics,” “Love and Madness”and "Love and Apologies") or how the distinction really contributed to anything.
I haven’t found that this is a genre that many young adults are interested in, but if personal essays are your style, this collection may be worth a read.
I would give it a 3.5 if possible but the potential for improvement before the March 2 publication date will kick it over for now.
I was very excited to be able to read this book as soon as I saw it, but it didn’t quite live up to my expectations. Love and Profanity is a collection of essays from various writers from different backgrounds about their teenage years. Think, Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul, but with a cover and title like this, maybe one teens wouldn’t be a little shy about reading in public. My biggest issue with the book is probably just a function of reading an uncorrected proof.
The cover had me under the impression that this would be a contemporary collection, but you actually have an unpredictable range from high school seniors in the twenty-first century to “eleven almost twelve” year olds in 1976. Although it was probably intended to make the point that the experiences and feelings of being a teen are universal and timeless, some of the stories don’t set the stage very well and the uncorrected proof did not include many of the author bios. A longer piece might’ve been able to get away with a little ambiguity, but getting halfway through an eight page piece before finding out the context was unsettling and led to a lot of confused re-reads. While the book is geared towards teens and even suggested for as late as 14+, there were quite a few stories about younger kids which seems alienating towards high schoolers trying to find some connection with their peers.
As for the stories themselves, the quality was generally good and with such a variety, there should be something for everyone. There were a few awesome reads, a few that were well-written but anti-climactic or a little pointless, and even one that I think should be taken out entirely. I would be interested in seeing which pieces were written by established authors and which were current teens on the rise, which should be included in the final edition. The editing was not very tight with either the concept or content—for instance, I didn’t see how a lot of the stories fit their headings (the book was divided into three sections “Love and Profanity,” “Love and Physics,” “Love and Madness”and "Love and Apologies") or how the distinction really contributed to anything.
I haven’t found that this is a genre that many young adults are interested in, but if personal essays are your style, this collection may be worth a read.
I would give it a 3.5 if possible but the potential for improvement before the March 2 publication date will kick it over for now.
March 5, 2015
Honestly, I love the title of this book, and I had high expectations. But, the title was misleading since the stories weren't really about love and profanity. The short stories tackled teenage life and growing up. I also thought I could relate to it, but I didn't. I don't know if it's just me or it's really not that relatable.
Most of the stories were beautifully written, but it felt like there were many aspects lacking. It's as if those stories were made up and not based on real experiences. Also, I wished that the authors' bio were already included in the uncorrected copy, so I could understand the stories more. Lastly, I found the divisions of the book off. The stories were divided into four sections- "Love and Profanity", "Love and Physics", "Love and Madness" and "Love and Apologies" Although, I felt that only the first few stories correspond to its section.
This book could have been better if the editing was tight, and it chose the right stories in the book.
There was like one story that could be removed, and there were some that are just anti-climactic and pointless.
I gave this book 2 stars because I felt that it has potential, but because of the not-so-great stories and the placement of the stories that failed to excited the readers, the entire book seemed to fall flat
If you love personal essays then this book is for you!
Geeky Chiquitas
Most of the stories were beautifully written, but it felt like there were many aspects lacking. It's as if those stories were made up and not based on real experiences. Also, I wished that the authors' bio were already included in the uncorrected copy, so I could understand the stories more. Lastly, I found the divisions of the book off. The stories were divided into four sections- "Love and Profanity", "Love and Physics", "Love and Madness" and "Love and Apologies" Although, I felt that only the first few stories correspond to its section.
This book could have been better if the editing was tight, and it chose the right stories in the book.
There was like one story that could be removed, and there were some that are just anti-climactic and pointless.
I gave this book 2 stars because I felt that it has potential, but because of the not-so-great stories and the placement of the stories that failed to excited the readers, the entire book seemed to fall flat
If you love personal essays then this book is for you!
Geeky Chiquitas
October 5, 2015
Love & Profanity is a fascinating collection of short stories about love, life, and growing up as seen through the eyes of a teenager. The selected authors tell stories from their respective teenage years and allow for the reader to relate to at least one if not more of the experiences told.
Although my high school years are behind me, I found myself able to relate to the stories of lost friendships and peer pressure. The feeling of being the only person in a room full of people. Love & Profanity is written for the young adult audience, but I believe it is a must read for people of all ages. It helps you look back on those formative years and allows you to realize that you survived and that not everything was as awful as it seemed. It may even provide some closure for some readers. I know I found myself relating to the story of a girl who lost her best friend to the "popular" clique. A common occurrence for many a teenager and a story that shows how it can be a haunting loss for some time, even when you believe you've moved on.
This is a well written collection of stories and, as I stated, it is a book for readers of all demographics. It is a book of how we all grow up and face life and whatever it may throw at us.
http://novelideareviews.blogspot.com/...
Although my high school years are behind me, I found myself able to relate to the stories of lost friendships and peer pressure. The feeling of being the only person in a room full of people. Love & Profanity is written for the young adult audience, but I believe it is a must read for people of all ages. It helps you look back on those formative years and allows you to realize that you survived and that not everything was as awful as it seemed. It may even provide some closure for some readers. I know I found myself relating to the story of a girl who lost her best friend to the "popular" clique. A common occurrence for many a teenager and a story that shows how it can be a haunting loss for some time, even when you believe you've moved on.
This is a well written collection of stories and, as I stated, it is a book for readers of all demographics. It is a book of how we all grow up and face life and whatever it may throw at us.
http://novelideareviews.blogspot.com/...
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November 20, 2015My book ''Love and Profanity'' to me was interesting. It's about adults that tells about what happened in their teenage years and what they did in High school. A lot of them talk about there first time having sex. Some talk about them drinking and smoking. A few talk about learning how to drive. The rest talk about getting popular in school. They all but two want to get wasted. The one thing they all have in common is having fun at high school. They all had the time of there lives.
There is a lot of likes and dislikes I have for this book. One thing that I about the book is it takes place in high school. Another thing I like about it is that they all had a fun time at high school. They all have problems and find a way to fix them. One thing I dis like about the book is there is no main character. It makes the story all over the place. I dislike the endings on every chapter. It doesn't give enough information to start a new chapter.
In conclusion the book was okay. It had a lot of good information on how to get through high school. There was a lot of do's and don't's. I recommend that you read this book because it has a a lot of information to get you through high school. It may help you in the future years of school.
There is a lot of likes and dislikes I have for this book. One thing that I about the book is it takes place in high school. Another thing I like about it is that they all had a fun time at high school. They all have problems and find a way to fix them. One thing I dis like about the book is there is no main character. It makes the story all over the place. I dislike the endings on every chapter. It doesn't give enough information to start a new chapter.
In conclusion the book was okay. It had a lot of good information on how to get through high school. There was a lot of do's and don't's. I recommend that you read this book because it has a a lot of information to get you through high school. It may help you in the future years of school.
October 6, 2014
Love & Profanity is a compilation of short stories about teenaged hormones at their best. A series of over 40 stories packed together in this book to create a nice little reflective book about how to deal. While reading this I realize that maybe, just maybe, I am not the only one going insane. Also just maybe, I am not the only one going through this madness and it's okay to not be okay and have crazy stories and embarrass yourself every once in a while. The thing that makes this book most entertaining is how the stories are all so relatable and real. Maybe they really are real. The authors did a fantastic job writing like an adolescent and getting their point across. What's also great about this book is that through it, FOMO (fear of missing out), does not exist. Whatever it is you weren't able to do during your years, you can read and it feel as if you actually did go through a rebellious phase or got a high school sweetheart. Either way, this book is fantastic for all teenagers who are scared of their own hormones. You are not alone.
February 10, 2016
I would buy this book based on the cover and title without hearing anything about this book, but that would have been a mistake, because I don't like it enough to re-read it. I love anthologies, and I was in the mood to read short stories, especially true ones about the authors teen years. It even included an author I already knew I liked (Pete Hautman.) This book just seemed mediocre to me. The stories did not seem to be put together in a way that flowed, and a lot of them weren't even anecdotes you would want to hear from your friends. I really didn't understand what the authors were trying to say in some stories, or if there wasn't a point at all.?. This book reminded me of Chicken Soup for the Soul - Teen Edition, something I had when I was in junior high, but I remember loving that story. I read YA all the time, but maybe I am just too old for this book, I didn't connect with it at all. None of the stories really evoked memories of my teen years, like I expected. Overall I didn't like it. Oh yah, I received this book for free from Netgalley.
Read
February 13, 2017I think there are some real gems in this collection.
February 2, 2015
I received this from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
Love & Profanity is about love and a little bit of propanity. It tackles about short stories/essays about teenage life and growing up. With that, I expected it to be more of in tuned with my vibes but apparently it’s not. I felt hollowed upon reading it and I didn’t felt anything while reading it. There’s something missing on some stories (most of it) and I didn’t enjoy it that much.
The only thing that I really love about this book is the cover and how it is shown, it’s fun, edgy and eye-catching it will make you enjoy it a little bit and make you want to buy it. This book is recommended for a risk-takers because others may enjoy it and others won’s so it’s read at your own risk.
Love & Profanity is about love and a little bit of propanity. It tackles about short stories/essays about teenage life and growing up. With that, I expected it to be more of in tuned with my vibes but apparently it’s not. I felt hollowed upon reading it and I didn’t felt anything while reading it. There’s something missing on some stories (most of it) and I didn’t enjoy it that much.
The only thing that I really love about this book is the cover and how it is shown, it’s fun, edgy and eye-catching it will make you enjoy it a little bit and make you want to buy it. This book is recommended for a risk-takers because others may enjoy it and others won’s so it’s read at your own risk.
October 19, 2014
Disclaimer: I received this book for free through NetGalley, in return for an honest review. This book will be published on March 1st, 2015.
I was very excited to be able to read this book as soon as I saw it, but it didn’t quite live up to my expectations. Love and Profanity is a collection of essays from various writers from different backgrounds about their teenage years. The cover made me want to read it but as I started turning pages I realized this is like Chicken Soup for the Soul. Some of the stories were good and some I found a little disturbing. All in all I have nothing good or bad to say about this book.
Read at your own risk!!!!
I was very excited to be able to read this book as soon as I saw it, but it didn’t quite live up to my expectations. Love and Profanity is a collection of essays from various writers from different backgrounds about their teenage years. The cover made me want to read it but as I started turning pages I realized this is like Chicken Soup for the Soul. Some of the stories were good and some I found a little disturbing. All in all I have nothing good or bad to say about this book.
Read at your own risk!!!!
July 6, 2015
Out of all the free books I snagged at BookCon, this one was the most appealing to me (though my cover doesn't feature a tongue). With over 40 short stories, this book offers something for everyone's tastes. That means a few of them barely excited me, and others I read over and over again. That's what's so handy about this collection: the stories are so short, some only a couple pages, that you can zoom through them. I took this book with me every time I rid the subway longer than 30 minutes, and I finished it within a few weeks. I would recommend if you like teenagers, nostalgia, and tales of love, but mostly if you like reading about teenagers.
May 19, 2016
I stumbled on this book at the library and was immediately into it because of the title. Love AND profanity? Those are two of my favorite things! This book though? Not so much. The majority of the writers appear to be from Minnesota, with most still living here, which made me like it *slightly* more. I could relate to a lot of their experiences as well since I also grew up in small towns around the state. Unfortunately, relating to their stories left me feeling like I'd just been to one of my small town class reunions and that isn't a good thing. Overall, I was left feeling pretty "Meh" when I finished it, which doesn't leave it as something I'd recommend.
October 9, 2014
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review
The Cover got me. I saw it, I had to read it….
It just wasn’t that great. Just an ok book.
I loved the stories about the author’s teenage years. They were very entertaining and the best, but more so than not I was bored. A lot of the stories were just not that interesting.
If you are a “Chicken Soup for the Soul” type person, this book is for you.
I honestly don’t know what else there is to say….
Read at your own risk.
The Cover got me. I saw it, I had to read it….
It just wasn’t that great. Just an ok book.
I loved the stories about the author’s teenage years. They were very entertaining and the best, but more so than not I was bored. A lot of the stories were just not that interesting.
If you are a “Chicken Soup for the Soul” type person, this book is for you.
I honestly don’t know what else there is to say….
Read at your own risk.
February 25, 2015
*Netgalley book review*
I gave it 3 stars because I just couldn't get the hang of the stories. Maybe I wasn't your typical teenager. There were shorter and longer stories, some of them sent an important message but other ones were rather without sense. I just couldn't connect with the characters and their situations and get a good understanding of their emotions.
Indeed, during adolescence years there are mixed feelings, a lot of fights and embarrassing events.
Maybe if I would have read it a couple of years ago then I would have interpreted it differently.
I gave it 3 stars because I just couldn't get the hang of the stories. Maybe I wasn't your typical teenager. There were shorter and longer stories, some of them sent an important message but other ones were rather without sense. I just couldn't connect with the characters and their situations and get a good understanding of their emotions.
Indeed, during adolescence years there are mixed feelings, a lot of fights and embarrassing events.
Maybe if I would have read it a couple of years ago then I would have interpreted it differently.
June 13, 2015
Collections like this are always a mixed bag; some of the stories really connect with you, and others are just "meh". Mostly Miswestern (especially Minnesotan) writers are featured, so there's an awful lot of the "coming of age in a small town" theme -- not that I'm complaining too much, since I can personally connect to those types of stories. Also: 1990s pop culture is prevalent. The last piece, Alison McGhee's "Letter to my 16-Year-Old Self" is my favorite, so at least it ended on a high.
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