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The Precious Dreadful
Teddi Alder is just trying to figure out her life.
When she joins SUMMERTEENS, a library writing group, she’s only looking to keep herself busy, not go digging around in her subconscious. But as she writes, disturbing memories of her childhood friend Corey bubble to the surface, and Teddi begins to question everything: her friendship with her BFF Willa, how much her mom really knows, and even her own memories. Teddi fears she’s losing her grip on reality—as evidenced by that mysterious ghost-girl who emerges from the park pool one night, the one who won’t leave Teddi alone. To top it all off, she finds herself juggling two guys with potential, a quirky new boy named Joy and her handsome barista crush Aidan, who has some issues of his own.
As the summer unfolds, Teddi is determined to get to the bottom of everything—her feelings, the mysterious ghost-girl, and the memories of Corey that refuse to be ignored.
When she joins SUMMERTEENS, a library writing group, she’s only looking to keep herself busy, not go digging around in her subconscious. But as she writes, disturbing memories of her childhood friend Corey bubble to the surface, and Teddi begins to question everything: her friendship with her BFF Willa, how much her mom really knows, and even her own memories. Teddi fears she’s losing her grip on reality—as evidenced by that mysterious ghost-girl who emerges from the park pool one night, the one who won’t leave Teddi alone. To top it all off, she finds herself juggling two guys with potential, a quirky new boy named Joy and her handsome barista crush Aidan, who has some issues of his own.
As the summer unfolds, Teddi is determined to get to the bottom of everything—her feelings, the mysterious ghost-girl, and the memories of Corey that refuse to be ignored.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published February 13, 2018
7 people are currently reading
666 people want to read
About the author
Steven Parlato
4 books39 followersSteven Parlato, Assistant Professor of English, a writer and artist, lives in CT with his wife and two children. Holding a Masters from Wesleyan University, Steve has taught graphic design, writing, and a literature course of his own design, Studies in Young Adult Fiction. In 2012, Steve was recognized with a NISOD Excellence Award in Teaching.
A prize-winning poet, Parlato's work appears in Freshwater; MARGIE: The American Journal of Poetry; Borderlands: Texas Poetry Review; and Pirene's Fountain. Most recently, his poetry was published in Freshwater and in Peregrine. Steve has been a featured poet at a number of CT venues.
Parlato's young adult novel, THE NAMESAKE, one of five debut titles from Merit Press, a new Imprint of F+W/Adams Media, won a 2011 Tassy Walden Award for New Voices. Steve is represented for fiction by Victoria Marini of Gelfman Schneider Literary Agency.
Steve has also worked as an actor both professionally and non, playing roles ranging from MacBeth to the Scarecrow of OZ, He has also appeared as a hapless limousine rider, and as the "Munchie Mania?" patron in a Friendly's training film.
A prize-winning poet, Parlato's work appears in Freshwater; MARGIE: The American Journal of Poetry; Borderlands: Texas Poetry Review; and Pirene's Fountain. Most recently, his poetry was published in Freshwater and in Peregrine. Steve has been a featured poet at a number of CT venues.
Parlato's young adult novel, THE NAMESAKE, one of five debut titles from Merit Press, a new Imprint of F+W/Adams Media, won a 2011 Tassy Walden Award for New Voices. Steve is represented for fiction by Victoria Marini of Gelfman Schneider Literary Agency.
Steve has also worked as an actor both professionally and non, playing roles ranging from MacBeth to the Scarecrow of OZ, He has also appeared as a hapless limousine rider, and as the "Munchie Mania?" patron in a Friendly's training film.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
October 28, 2017
Warning! I received an ARC copy of this book in return for an honest review! Warning! I might be a little biased, especially because I love the authors work! Warning! I swear I'll try my best to be brutal. Behind the computer scream, I have an evil smile plastered on my face. There will be no spoilers!
I'm a huge fan of author Steven Parlato so when he told me he was writing another novel, I just could NOT wait. Of course, Parlato can do no wrong, and instantly satisfies the readers needs with his beautiful prose. In his newest novel, The Precious Dreadful, Teddi Alder, like the tree, is enjoying the start of her summer vacation like any other teen would. Being lazy, attempting to be productive, and swooning over that one hot guy with the beautiful smile. What she really wants to do is get that one guy to be with her and to join the writing group over at the library. What she doesn't expect is get hit with memories and forgotten times that will drag her down if she's not careful.
From the very beginning of the novel you get set up with an image in your head, almost like a movie. Few run down houses, if you can call them that, where the grass is unkempt. Everything has a burnt yellow tone, like sand and dry land, the sun burning high in the sky forcing everyone to sweat. Local stores have a small fan working in the corner to combat the heat. It's not exactly what goes on in the novel, but it's the feeling it sets you up with. You're introduced to this new world and brand new set of characters that you have no idea who they are, and as the novel goes, the house begin to reconstruct themselves. The grass starts turning greener, the weather drops a little bit, air conditioning is now invented and in every store. This is what the process of Teddi Alder's story feels like.
She starts off a bit lost and confused with herself and her mind. But as the novel proceeds and we start learning more along with Teddi, things start fitting together and fixing themselves. I guess you can say the imagery is of Teddi herself. The way Parlato wrote Teddi, you almost see yourself in her. Ignoring the fact that I'm an adult male and she is a teenage female, I saw myself in parts of Teddi that almost scared me. Her damaged outlook on life that hits both her and you subconsciously. Her hero complex, of wanting to help others with no regards to herself. She was beautifully written in a way that you ached for her to get better and hated when she messed up. You never give up on her though, no matter her decisions, the same way she never gives up on others, regardless of theirs.
Along with Teddi, we are introduced to a beautiful written cast of which I feel like they should win Golden Globes, and Emmy's, and Oscar Awards for their amazing performances. From her mother, Brenda, who comes from a damaged past with thoughts of it being too late to fix, to Aidan, the guy she wants to be with, and even minor characters like Eleanor and Todd. They each have their unique sense of personality that sets them apart. Even the barbie twins.
The one that struck a bigger reaction out of me, had to be Aidan. Man, you guys are lucky I can't spoil the book because I just wanted to beat his ass. That's all I'm going to say. But when there's someone you don't like, there's always someone you do, and that had to be Eleanor. As I said before to author Steven Parlato Eleanor felt like an old friend you had. She was that adult figure in your life who wasn't related to but still cared for you. Like your favorite teacher, or a neighbor, or family friend. I found myself wanting to know more about Eleanor as well as others like Nic, Jeanine, and screw it, everyone else.
The story itself is not only brutal and painful and full of heartache, but surrounded by hope. Parlato lets you in little by little into his mind and into Teddi's mind before finding out the truth. I caught myself trying to guess a lot of what would happen, especially to Corey and Fawn, but by the end, while I might have been a little bit right, I wasn't expecting what I got. It grabbed at my heart and tried to break it, but I held on for them. Because just like Teddi Alder, the need to stop was great, but the need to continue was even greater. And for an author to make you go through that, he has to have more than a special talent at writing. He has to give his books real, human emotions. He has to make his characters real and not just words on a page. He has to put himself into his work and let us into his life. And for that, I actually want to thank you, for letting us in, and for letting us know that it's okay to let others in.
But before I get anymore emotional, I have to say, the novel left me wanting a sequel. Plain and simple. And I'm not just saying that to say it. You are left wanting to know more about these characters. You want to know more about how their lives turn out. How they got to where they are and where they're going. There's some questions you ask yourself left a bit open, nothing important, but definitely something that could be added to the sequel. wink wink Especially Fawn. I'll say no more.
All in all, The Precious Dreadful is a beautiful ghost story that needs to be read. Steven Parlato plays with your emotions and eats them for breakfast. Like a spider, he catches you in his web and makes you reevaluate your life, except right when he gets to you, he sets you free.
I'm a huge fan of author Steven Parlato so when he told me he was writing another novel, I just could NOT wait. Of course, Parlato can do no wrong, and instantly satisfies the readers needs with his beautiful prose. In his newest novel, The Precious Dreadful, Teddi Alder, like the tree, is enjoying the start of her summer vacation like any other teen would. Being lazy, attempting to be productive, and swooning over that one hot guy with the beautiful smile. What she really wants to do is get that one guy to be with her and to join the writing group over at the library. What she doesn't expect is get hit with memories and forgotten times that will drag her down if she's not careful.
From the very beginning of the novel you get set up with an image in your head, almost like a movie. Few run down houses, if you can call them that, where the grass is unkempt. Everything has a burnt yellow tone, like sand and dry land, the sun burning high in the sky forcing everyone to sweat. Local stores have a small fan working in the corner to combat the heat. It's not exactly what goes on in the novel, but it's the feeling it sets you up with. You're introduced to this new world and brand new set of characters that you have no idea who they are, and as the novel goes, the house begin to reconstruct themselves. The grass starts turning greener, the weather drops a little bit, air conditioning is now invented and in every store. This is what the process of Teddi Alder's story feels like.
She starts off a bit lost and confused with herself and her mind. But as the novel proceeds and we start learning more along with Teddi, things start fitting together and fixing themselves. I guess you can say the imagery is of Teddi herself. The way Parlato wrote Teddi, you almost see yourself in her. Ignoring the fact that I'm an adult male and she is a teenage female, I saw myself in parts of Teddi that almost scared me. Her damaged outlook on life that hits both her and you subconsciously. Her hero complex, of wanting to help others with no regards to herself. She was beautifully written in a way that you ached for her to get better and hated when she messed up. You never give up on her though, no matter her decisions, the same way she never gives up on others, regardless of theirs.
Along with Teddi, we are introduced to a beautiful written cast of which I feel like they should win Golden Globes, and Emmy's, and Oscar Awards for their amazing performances. From her mother, Brenda, who comes from a damaged past with thoughts of it being too late to fix, to Aidan, the guy she wants to be with, and even minor characters like Eleanor and Todd. They each have their unique sense of personality that sets them apart. Even the barbie twins.
The one that struck a bigger reaction out of me, had to be Aidan. Man, you guys are lucky I can't spoil the book because I just wanted to beat his ass. That's all I'm going to say. But when there's someone you don't like, there's always someone you do, and that had to be Eleanor. As I said before to author Steven Parlato Eleanor felt like an old friend you had. She was that adult figure in your life who wasn't related to but still cared for you. Like your favorite teacher, or a neighbor, or family friend. I found myself wanting to know more about Eleanor as well as others like Nic, Jeanine, and screw it, everyone else.
The story itself is not only brutal and painful and full of heartache, but surrounded by hope. Parlato lets you in little by little into his mind and into Teddi's mind before finding out the truth. I caught myself trying to guess a lot of what would happen, especially to Corey and Fawn, but by the end, while I might have been a little bit right, I wasn't expecting what I got. It grabbed at my heart and tried to break it, but I held on for them. Because just like Teddi Alder, the need to stop was great, but the need to continue was even greater. And for an author to make you go through that, he has to have more than a special talent at writing. He has to give his books real, human emotions. He has to make his characters real and not just words on a page. He has to put himself into his work and let us into his life. And for that, I actually want to thank you, for letting us in, and for letting us know that it's okay to let others in.
But before I get anymore emotional, I have to say, the novel left me wanting a sequel. Plain and simple. And I'm not just saying that to say it. You are left wanting to know more about these characters. You want to know more about how their lives turn out. How they got to where they are and where they're going. There's some questions you ask yourself left a bit open, nothing important, but definitely something that could be added to the sequel. wink wink Especially Fawn. I'll say no more.
All in all, The Precious Dreadful is a beautiful ghost story that needs to be read. Steven Parlato plays with your emotions and eats them for breakfast. Like a spider, he catches you in his web and makes you reevaluate your life, except right when he gets to you, he sets you free.
February 22, 2018
I really enjoyed this novel! I was dragged in by the premise and was a bit shocked that this book is not what I expected but I still was completely engulfed in the story and loved Teddi. Teddi was a bit complex and complicated but it made me love her more. I also enjoyed the pace and the mystery of this story. I definitely recommend checking this one out.
did-not-finish
January 26, 2018DNF at 14%.
I have no idea what's happening here. And from what little I've seen I don't care enough to push on and figure it out.
** I received an ARC from Edelweiss and the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **
I have no idea what's happening here. And from what little I've seen I don't care enough to push on and figure it out.
** I received an ARC from Edelweiss and the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **
April 27, 2020
I had no idea what this book would be about when I started it, but the idea of reading a novel based particular around a writing class intrigued me. This story went so far from what I thought it would be - not in a bad way, I did enjoy it, it just wasn’t what I expected.
This story is about a teenage girl called Teddi. It starts off with Teddi needing to fill the many hours of summer with something other than lazing about. She punts for joining a summer writing class - SUMMERTEENS - instead of auditioning for a part in twelfth night. Teddi is a fun character - very sarcastic and relatable.
Eleanor who runs the writing group pushes Teddi to open her heart and let the writing flow out of her. After this point she sees a small girl who she believes in drowning in a pool - Aiden, her love interest, is present at the time and jumps in to try and save her, but there’s no-one there. Aiden blows off Teddi, and acts very stand-off-ish and abusive throughout this novel. They really didn’t have a healthy relationship.
Teddi then begins to visualise herself in past memories which seem to have been repressed. So she begins to seek the truth - to fill the gaps in her memory, but to do this she needs assistance from her childhood best friend - Corey. From this point the book really went into a story I did not expect, but I really enjoyed. I won’t mention anymore about the story from here on, but it was an eerie and interesting story. I was drawn to parts of it and disliked others. Overall it was OK.
February 9, 2018
How to rate this novel? 3.5, probably.
One night, Teddi sees a girl in the park pool near her house but when she her crush Aidan gets there, no one is around. Aidan is sure she must have imagined things. But the girls shows up once more, only to disappear again. Later, Teddi notices ghost-girl isn't the only thing off. She can't remember much about the time her childhood friend went away or even what happened to the new girl Fawn, with whom they used to play together.
I did like this story. It had an eerie atmosphere and some complexity I don't usually find in YA's. But there were also flaws.
The writing didn't flow, and I'd call it my main complaint. It's not only that there were too many rantings, but the writing itself—choice of words, order, sentences—it was all too much for YA. It felt like someone playing "substitute with the most unusual synonym". As much as Teddi is taking a writing course, I don't think a fifteen-year-old would narrate like that.
My other problem was the romance with Aidan. I'll extend this complaint to most relationships presented in the story—people are just too passive! But Aidan's case, being the main character's boyfriend, really got to me. The relationship was abusive from the start, and I know Teddi would tell him off again and again, but she'd also let insults go too easily. I'm not sure that's a good example for teenage girls. I can't spoil the conclusion of this but it didn't redeem Aidan enough. And as I said, he wasn't the only issue. A number of characters there were too much and getting too little reproach for that, as if it was okay to act like that. It'd be bad enough for me already weren't it meant for teenagers to read.
But the book also had many good points. I loved how fixated on it I felt. I had to go until the end, to understand what was happening. And I really cared for all of them, ghost-girl, Corey, Fawn and poor Teddi.
As stated before, the story transpires an eeriness that makes all answers possible. You really have no idea if it's going to be about a crime, the supernatural or a psychological problem. Curiosity and even dread—yes, this is a pun—gets you turning pages and you almost don't feel it. I remember one night I was caught by surprise when I looked at the hour and it was two hours later than my bed time. I have no idea for how long I had been sitting with my e-reader, and I still wanted to stay for "just a chapter more".
I think this author needs some improvements in the way his characters act, but I really liked the palpable effort he's put in the making of the book. Let's be honest, many YA books seem like a pre-made story with scenes glued together from some multiple-choice but limited possibilities. This book went further and deeper; I'm thankful for the respect toward YA readers.
Honest review based on an ARC provided by Edelweiss. Many thanks to the publisher for this opportunity.
One night, Teddi sees a girl in the park pool near her house but when she her crush Aidan gets there, no one is around. Aidan is sure she must have imagined things. But the girls shows up once more, only to disappear again. Later, Teddi notices ghost-girl isn't the only thing off. She can't remember much about the time her childhood friend went away or even what happened to the new girl Fawn, with whom they used to play together.
I did like this story. It had an eerie atmosphere and some complexity I don't usually find in YA's. But there were also flaws.
The writing didn't flow, and I'd call it my main complaint. It's not only that there were too many rantings, but the writing itself—choice of words, order, sentences—it was all too much for YA. It felt like someone playing "substitute with the most unusual synonym". As much as Teddi is taking a writing course, I don't think a fifteen-year-old would narrate like that.
My other problem was the romance with Aidan. I'll extend this complaint to most relationships presented in the story—people are just too passive! But Aidan's case, being the main character's boyfriend, really got to me. The relationship was abusive from the start, and I know Teddi would tell him off again and again, but she'd also let insults go too easily. I'm not sure that's a good example for teenage girls. I can't spoil the conclusion of this but it didn't redeem Aidan enough. And as I said, he wasn't the only issue. A number of characters there were too much and getting too little reproach for that, as if it was okay to act like that. It'd be bad enough for me already weren't it meant for teenagers to read.
But the book also had many good points. I loved how fixated on it I felt. I had to go until the end, to understand what was happening. And I really cared for all of them, ghost-girl, Corey, Fawn and poor Teddi.
As stated before, the story transpires an eeriness that makes all answers possible. You really have no idea if it's going to be about a crime, the supernatural or a psychological problem. Curiosity and even dread—yes, this is a pun—gets you turning pages and you almost don't feel it. I remember one night I was caught by surprise when I looked at the hour and it was two hours later than my bed time. I have no idea for how long I had been sitting with my e-reader, and I still wanted to stay for "just a chapter more".
I think this author needs some improvements in the way his characters act, but I really liked the palpable effort he's put in the making of the book. Let's be honest, many YA books seem like a pre-made story with scenes glued together from some multiple-choice but limited possibilities. This book went further and deeper; I'm thankful for the respect toward YA readers.
Honest review based on an ARC provided by Edelweiss. Many thanks to the publisher for this opportunity.
January 29, 2018
This was a wild ride. Wow. Since it's still a few months away, all I will say is: How much can you trust Teddi and how ready are you for a mental adventure?
Thanks to the author and Simon & Schuster for a copy in exchange for a future honest review!
---
The Precious Dreadful by Steven Parlato is one of those books that takes you the whole novel to fully understand what is truly happening. I found myself unable to put the book down because I wanted to know if Teddi was truly doing half of the things she was doing and making half of the decisions/mistakes that she was making.
I wanted to like Teddi. I tried really hard to rationalize her decisions. What I realized, and I may be wrong here, is that Teddi is very unreliable. She has a hidden past, a less than stellar home, and she sees things that may or may not be there (a talking mirror image notwithstanding). Teddi is having a hell of a summer.
Her tumultuous relationship with Aidan is perhaps one of the best examples of just how troublesome Teddi is as a character. With everyone warning her and even a potentially better guy right in front of her, Teddi is adamant that Aidan is the guy for her. Her constant dedication to this idealistic relationship of hers reminds me of how society affects those we sometimes pick for ourselves.
When certain events got my blood boiling, I couldn’t understand Teddi’s actions. Since I’ve never been in a similar situation, I can’t pretend to know what I would do, but I realized that Teddi might not know any better. She is so quick to assume that there is love in a problematic place that it makes me wonder if it’s because she so desperately wants to be in a situation where she can feel loved.
On the surface, this may be seen as a typical teen novel where the protagonist is trying to “find herself” and a past that she didn’t know she had, but the grit of the novel is in the depth of her relationships. My mind is still warped from reading Teddi’s story.
I loved the conclusion. I won’t lie, I was a little worried about where this story was going because it felt so problematic. All of the little pieces and all of the issues wrapped up awesomely and it all started to make sense. I remember rubbing my head and thinking, holy crap, did that just happen? But then again, I should have been ready for all of the intensity of Teddi’s life, since I read The Namesake by Parlato several years ago. That book, much like this one, really messed with my head to the point where I can still recall various bits.
Honestly, I’m still trying to recover. There were so many moments where I wanted to yell at certain characters and/or admonish others for their choices. This is probably the only reason I’ve not giving this book a full five stars. While I enjoyed the journey and the conclusion and how it all tied up so nicely and fittingly, it was those moments of frustration that got me really hoping for a conclusion that would make sense of it all.
The Precious Dreadful is much like the memory that Teddi is trying to recall. It isn’t as simple as it appears to be and there are many, many layers to get through before we can finally see the real Teddi. I will forever be a fan of Parlato’s novels and I look forward to reading more of his work in the future!
Happy reading!
Thanks to the author and Simon & Schuster for a copy in exchange for a future honest review!
---
The Precious Dreadful by Steven Parlato is one of those books that takes you the whole novel to fully understand what is truly happening. I found myself unable to put the book down because I wanted to know if Teddi was truly doing half of the things she was doing and making half of the decisions/mistakes that she was making.
I wanted to like Teddi. I tried really hard to rationalize her decisions. What I realized, and I may be wrong here, is that Teddi is very unreliable. She has a hidden past, a less than stellar home, and she sees things that may or may not be there (a talking mirror image notwithstanding). Teddi is having a hell of a summer.
Her tumultuous relationship with Aidan is perhaps one of the best examples of just how troublesome Teddi is as a character. With everyone warning her and even a potentially better guy right in front of her, Teddi is adamant that Aidan is the guy for her. Her constant dedication to this idealistic relationship of hers reminds me of how society affects those we sometimes pick for ourselves.
When certain events got my blood boiling, I couldn’t understand Teddi’s actions. Since I’ve never been in a similar situation, I can’t pretend to know what I would do, but I realized that Teddi might not know any better. She is so quick to assume that there is love in a problematic place that it makes me wonder if it’s because she so desperately wants to be in a situation where she can feel loved.
On the surface, this may be seen as a typical teen novel where the protagonist is trying to “find herself” and a past that she didn’t know she had, but the grit of the novel is in the depth of her relationships. My mind is still warped from reading Teddi’s story.
I loved the conclusion. I won’t lie, I was a little worried about where this story was going because it felt so problematic. All of the little pieces and all of the issues wrapped up awesomely and it all started to make sense. I remember rubbing my head and thinking, holy crap, did that just happen? But then again, I should have been ready for all of the intensity of Teddi’s life, since I read The Namesake by Parlato several years ago. That book, much like this one, really messed with my head to the point where I can still recall various bits.
Honestly, I’m still trying to recover. There were so many moments where I wanted to yell at certain characters and/or admonish others for their choices. This is probably the only reason I’ve not giving this book a full five stars. While I enjoyed the journey and the conclusion and how it all tied up so nicely and fittingly, it was those moments of frustration that got me really hoping for a conclusion that would make sense of it all.
The Precious Dreadful is much like the memory that Teddi is trying to recall. It isn’t as simple as it appears to be and there are many, many layers to get through before we can finally see the real Teddi. I will forever be a fan of Parlato’s novels and I look forward to reading more of his work in the future!
Happy reading!
September 29, 2017
After reading Steven Parlato's first book, "The Namesake," I could not wait to read what he would write next. Fortunately, I was privileged to receive an ARC copy of "The Precious Dreadful."
Parlato does not disappoint! Once again, he's written a protagonist who is immediately relatable and entertaining, even while going through some intense emotional turmoil. His secondary characters are also well-drawn and empathetic. Equal parts mystery, ghost story and romance, Parlato deftly juggles all 3 to create a wonderful novel about friendship, forgiveness, and the innate strength of the human mind to overcome tragedy.
Parlato does not disappoint! Once again, he's written a protagonist who is immediately relatable and entertaining, even while going through some intense emotional turmoil. His secondary characters are also well-drawn and empathetic. Equal parts mystery, ghost story and romance, Parlato deftly juggles all 3 to create a wonderful novel about friendship, forgiveness, and the innate strength of the human mind to overcome tragedy.
November 7, 2017
In THE PRECIOUS DREADFUL, Steven Parlato paints settings and portrays characters with poetic language that lures the reader with each rhythmic phrase.
AND - I'm giving away an ARC on my website. Hop over there to enter to win: http://www.margokelly.net/2017/11/boo...
Before opening this book, I wondered if a male author could write an authentic teenage girl as a main character. Well, Steven Parlato certainly did with Teddi Alder in THE PRECIOUS DREADFUL. From page one, Parlato brought Teddi’s character to life with a distinctive, feisty voice of her own. For example, Parlato wrote, “Everything about me is halfway. Five-six, I’m stalled between jockey-little and catwalk-tall. Sophomore year ended yesterday, so I’m officially midway through the obstacle course called high school. I’m also half a virgin. So.” (page 1) There was only one spot in the story where I was pulled from the fictive experience, and that was when Parlato wrote, “I can’t believe I’m saying this—she is indeed, boner-worthy.” (page 47) Yeah. I couldn’t believe she said it either. I can’t recall ever hearing a female say that. But hey, other than that, I was completely enthralled by Teddi’s voice and Parlato’s writing.
The plot of THE PRECIOUS DREADFUL kept me engaged and curious to find out what was going to happen next. I was invested in Teddi, and I wanted her to solve the mystery of the ghost and the mystery of her lost memories. When she did solve them, I was both awestruck and heart broken. I’d grown to love Teddi, and I didn’t want her to hurt. Parlato did an excellent job sinking his writerly teeth into me and never letting go.
Parlato certainly pulled no punches when exploring uncomfortable situations. He pushed the characters (and the reader) right to the edge and made us feel all the feels. Along with that, there was a variety of cussing spattered throughout, including the F-word, but not enough to make me cringe or turn away.
THE PRECIOUS DREADFUL by Steven Parlato is an engaging mystery with compelling characters and an intriguing plot. I highly recommend it.
Here are some of my favorite lines from the book:
“Rather than the intended comfort, his remark thwacks a dollop of disappointment atop my plate of unease.” (page 43)
“I’m the one mistake my mother didn’t make repeatedly.” (page 47)
“…the most prized writer traits are ‘fearlessness and fertility.’” (page 65)
“Then, a havoc of wings and water, a squad of Canada geese land, paddlefeet churning the slime. Skimming in bowling-pin formation, they patrol; their calls are mechanical, more bark than birdsong.” (page 167)
“The moon is a dirty fingernail; it rips a hole in the black fabric sky.” (page 268)
“We can talk to one another without the echoes of past arguments interrupting.” (page 334)
[I received an early copy in exchange for an honest review. This in no way influenced my opinion.]
AND - I'm giving away an ARC on my website. Hop over there to enter to win: http://www.margokelly.net/2017/11/boo...
Before opening this book, I wondered if a male author could write an authentic teenage girl as a main character. Well, Steven Parlato certainly did with Teddi Alder in THE PRECIOUS DREADFUL. From page one, Parlato brought Teddi’s character to life with a distinctive, feisty voice of her own. For example, Parlato wrote, “Everything about me is halfway. Five-six, I’m stalled between jockey-little and catwalk-tall. Sophomore year ended yesterday, so I’m officially midway through the obstacle course called high school. I’m also half a virgin. So.” (page 1) There was only one spot in the story where I was pulled from the fictive experience, and that was when Parlato wrote, “I can’t believe I’m saying this—she is indeed, boner-worthy.” (page 47) Yeah. I couldn’t believe she said it either. I can’t recall ever hearing a female say that. But hey, other than that, I was completely enthralled by Teddi’s voice and Parlato’s writing.
The plot of THE PRECIOUS DREADFUL kept me engaged and curious to find out what was going to happen next. I was invested in Teddi, and I wanted her to solve the mystery of the ghost and the mystery of her lost memories. When she did solve them, I was both awestruck and heart broken. I’d grown to love Teddi, and I didn’t want her to hurt. Parlato did an excellent job sinking his writerly teeth into me and never letting go.
Parlato certainly pulled no punches when exploring uncomfortable situations. He pushed the characters (and the reader) right to the edge and made us feel all the feels. Along with that, there was a variety of cussing spattered throughout, including the F-word, but not enough to make me cringe or turn away.
THE PRECIOUS DREADFUL by Steven Parlato is an engaging mystery with compelling characters and an intriguing plot. I highly recommend it.
Here are some of my favorite lines from the book:
“Rather than the intended comfort, his remark thwacks a dollop of disappointment atop my plate of unease.” (page 43)
“I’m the one mistake my mother didn’t make repeatedly.” (page 47)
“…the most prized writer traits are ‘fearlessness and fertility.’” (page 65)
“Then, a havoc of wings and water, a squad of Canada geese land, paddlefeet churning the slime. Skimming in bowling-pin formation, they patrol; their calls are mechanical, more bark than birdsong.” (page 167)
“The moon is a dirty fingernail; it rips a hole in the black fabric sky.” (page 268)
“We can talk to one another without the echoes of past arguments interrupting.” (page 334)
[I received an early copy in exchange for an honest review. This in no way influenced my opinion.]
February 19, 2018
Rating: 3.5 Stars
I wasn't quite sure what to expect from this one. The Precious Dreadful caught my eye, because it eluded to some sort of mystery, suppressed memories, and some sort of paranormal element, but what kept my interest was Teddi.
•Pro: Teddi was wonderfully complicated and I loved her voice. She was a big reason why I kept reading. I was interested in the mystery, but I was more interested in Teddi.
•Pro: Parlato did a great job pulling us into Teddi's world and setting the atmosphere. I could clearly visualize Teddi's sort of sad surroundings, and could easily slip right into the setting.
•Pro: The mystery storyline was well thought out and I liked the pace at which Parlato let it unfold. I also liked the way Teddi discovered the bits and pieces and was able to reveal her repressed memories to us.
•Pro: There were some fun and quirky characters included to round out the cast. I absolutely adored Ed. I wish he had a better storyline, because he was a character I wanted to know a lot better.
•Con: The romance storyline was a little awkward for me. I struggled a little with its purpose, and then Aiden's whole arc didn't really work for me. I guess it was a way for this one thing to be accomplished towards the end, but I just could't see its full purpose.
•Pro: Teddi's home life was messy. Abandoned by her father and left to ultimately look after her alcoholic mother, she was forced to be a grownup way before her time. However, I really appreciated how Parlato handled the relationship between Teddi and her mother. He showed that it wasn't all bad and neither was her mom.
•Pro: The ending went in an interesting direction. I really liked where Teddi ended up, and thought the ends were tied up quite nicely.
Overall: A compelling mystery with a touch of the paranormal and an engaging protagonist, which kept me turning the pages.
*ARC received in exchange for an honest review.
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I wasn't quite sure what to expect from this one. The Precious Dreadful caught my eye, because it eluded to some sort of mystery, suppressed memories, and some sort of paranormal element, but what kept my interest was Teddi.
•Pro: Teddi was wonderfully complicated and I loved her voice. She was a big reason why I kept reading. I was interested in the mystery, but I was more interested in Teddi.
•Pro: Parlato did a great job pulling us into Teddi's world and setting the atmosphere. I could clearly visualize Teddi's sort of sad surroundings, and could easily slip right into the setting.
•Pro: The mystery storyline was well thought out and I liked the pace at which Parlato let it unfold. I also liked the way Teddi discovered the bits and pieces and was able to reveal her repressed memories to us.
•Pro: There were some fun and quirky characters included to round out the cast. I absolutely adored Ed. I wish he had a better storyline, because he was a character I wanted to know a lot better.
•Con: The romance storyline was a little awkward for me. I struggled a little with its purpose, and then Aiden's whole arc didn't really work for me. I guess it was a way for this one thing to be accomplished towards the end, but I just could't see its full purpose.
•Pro: Teddi's home life was messy. Abandoned by her father and left to ultimately look after her alcoholic mother, she was forced to be a grownup way before her time. However, I really appreciated how Parlato handled the relationship between Teddi and her mother. He showed that it wasn't all bad and neither was her mom.
•Pro: The ending went in an interesting direction. I really liked where Teddi ended up, and thought the ends were tied up quite nicely.
That last moment together something we alone shared. Terrible, but solely ours. It's all I have left of him. And I'm afraid if I share it too freely, it won't belong to us anymore.
Overall: A compelling mystery with a touch of the paranormal and an engaging protagonist, which kept me turning the pages.
*ARC received in exchange for an honest review.
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March 27, 2018
Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing for the opportunity to read and review The Precious Dreadful by Steven Parlato. Teddi’s summer vacation begins with a few options. She decides to spend time with Summerteens, the local library’s summer writing workshop. Before the workshop kicks off, Teddi has had a spooky encounter, a kiss and an argument with her single, downtrodden mother. I fell in love with The Precious Dreadful, Teddi’s personality and boldness and the variety of characters it holds in its pages! The more I read, the deeper the story took me. Teddi has pretty much raised herself since her mother, Brenda, tends to be drunk and partying with her friends instead of being available and sober for her daughter. Brenda is also keeping secrets from Teddi and has tried to, in her own dysfunctional way, protect her role as a mother. As Teddi’s summer rolls on, relationships become more complicated and drama-ridden and her subconscious is forcing her to remember a traumatic and horrible part of her childhood. The Precious Dreadful bends genres: mystery, horror, supernatural, romance and young adult realistic fiction; this book also pulls at your heartstrings through intense tragedy, awareness of bad choices and the bond of friendship and kindness of others and it’s well deserving of 5 stars!
December 25, 2017
Precious Dreadful draws you into the life of Teddie Alder and holds you there until you make the entire journey with her. From start to finish you fear for her, you ache for her, and you root for her as she copes with the challenge of a mother who is no more than a child herself.
Then Teddie faces an even more daunting task; she must unlock a secret only the Pond Girl holds. Mysterious and poignant, this poetic story takes you into troubled waters, but with a character who sails a sure course toward her destination.
I highly recommend this book for any discerning reader. I doubt they will be disappointed.
I received an ARC in return for an honest review.
Then Teddie faces an even more daunting task; she must unlock a secret only the Pond Girl holds. Mysterious and poignant, this poetic story takes you into troubled waters, but with a character who sails a sure course toward her destination.
I highly recommend this book for any discerning reader. I doubt they will be disappointed.
I received an ARC in return for an honest review.
April 16, 2018
I guess that’s all life is, really, just a series of moments. Some ruined, some beautiful.
And I’ve learned one thing. There’s no escaping any of them.
The precious dreadful is one giant identity crisis and that’s what’s making me really unable to wrap my mind around it. Clearly, there’s a potential for a great story but the moment all the characters start behaving like idiots, that potential is lost and from there the story never really recover what could’ve been. It’s like two books in one and they’re not really that compatible with each other not to mention that the story is trying to juggle a lot of things at the same time but it fails and it fails miserably. Anyway let’s talk in more details now about what I liked and what I did not about the story:
About the story, I could say it’s a riddle wrapped in a mystery, some creature lurk-deep in the swamp of memory, but that’s a little too Stephen King. A little too Friday the 13th, and it’s not quite like that. Nope, not a horror story, not exactly. But horrible enough.
The book follows our fifteen almost sixteen years old female protagonist, it is summer and she has nothing to do expect either join a play or a writing group so she chose to do the latter option. What she did not bargain for is to start remembering things that are long forgetting and seeing the ghost of a little girl who’s trying to tell her something. The deeper she dives in her writing, the more disturbing her memories become. So this is it, the book is about our main character trying to figure out what the hell is going on to her while navigating her complex relationship with her mother and the new territory of having a boyfriend who has his own issues and problems.
The premise of the story really drew me in and made me so excited about the book. I mean what’s not to like about a mystery with some paranormal elements and a touch of romance but I guess I was wrong. I really thought it is going to be a new favorite of mine but unfortunately the premise is the most fascinating thing about the whole book way and the story never lived up to its promise and potential.
I know this sounds nuts, but the story is mine. Mine and Corey’s. That last moment together something we alone shared.
Terrible, but solely ours.
The Precious Dreadful.
I really think the main problem with this book is how it tried to portray and explore a lot of things at the same time without giving each subject the space it deserves to be written in a proper way that makes us appreciate what the story is trying to say. This book talks about the complex nature of relationships between parents and children while also trying to portray a toxic unstable romantic relationship between the female lead and her boyfriend while also introducing a love triangle and hinting at parental neglect with one of the character at the same time while maintaining this disappearance mystery of a past childhood friend. I really thought this book will concentrate heavily on the mystery but to me it was just there in the background of things. Sometimes, the author will remember what the story is supposed to be about and will give us some glimpses and clues only for it to be forgotten all over again because the book is trying too hard to talk about a lot of things and failing at doing it beautifully and properly. If this book was just a contemporary read, it would’ve been a great one and I’m not against blending genres together but at least do it in a way that do the premise justice and makes us appreciate the combination rather that feel disappointed by it.
When it comes to the mystery, it is a pretty familiar predictable one that’s been written before in many other books. I kind of knew what actually happened in that morbid summer day because it is not that hard to figure it out completely so I did not care about that aspect of the story. and it is not that I’m that astute of a reader or anything like that, it is just the mystery was one dimensional and there’s literally there’s no other possibility that can explain all the things the main character is remembering. So that was extremely underwhelming.
Now the characters are really not that great either. They seem immature and juvenile to me and they keep doing these stupid things over and over again. The main character has no agency, she keeps putting herself in harm way and when it comes to her emotionally manipulative and abusive boyfriend she is incapable of letting go of him even though she just started dating him like two weeks ago.
Prince Charming’s a hollow concept, Ed. The whole idea of a perfect guy to sweep your troubles away? It’s horseshit. Besides, I’m hardly a damsel. I’ve taken care of myself as long as I can remember.
I mean you expect to believe that they love each other that deeply when they were together for only two or maybe three weeks, I mean come on. I did not like them together and I did not like them apart. It s a shame because they are not really flat characters, they actually have depth but it was never explored in a satisfying ay and the romance killed any possible deep portrayal. And speaking of the romance, it was the worst part of the story and it did not really add anything for me, I could’ve done without all the unconvincing angst and that useless love triangle that came out of nowhere.
But with all that’s being said, there’s something quite addictive about the story, I couldn’t put it down. It’s like watching this horrible thing happening, you don’t like it and don’t want to witness it but you can’t look away either. I man y last two books were miserable reading experience but this one took me out of that mood and made me forget about the two last books that I did not like at all.
When I really think about how much this book could’ve been different if it focused more on the right things, I start to feel really angry. Here we have an opportunity for a delicious eerie and dark mystery that incorporates some scary and spooky paranormal elements and all we have at the end is an angst fest.
Shame
Note: I originally gave this book 3 stars but while I was writing this review I discovered that I really generous in my rating and I hate to do this but I have no choice but rating it 2 stars at the end because let’s be honest this review doesn’t scream 3 stars for me and I believe in every word I just wrote.
April 20, 2018
While the writing here was okay, and the central mystery interesting enough to keep me reading, this book fell far short of my expectations. The "teen writing group" aspect that first attracted me is barely present, the paranormal elements are very slight, and Teddi's mother is weird caricature of irresponsible parenthood. It could have been a good exploration of a complex mother-daughter relationship, but all of their conversations are tediously circular and clunky.
Worst of all: the romance, which completely overtakes this book, is simply terrible. The love interest over whom Teddi spends most of the book waffling is an abusive jerk and is never adequately redeemed by the narrative, never adequately called out for his unacceptable behavior. A secondary love interest, a sort of "nice guy" character, is also actually pretty manipulative.
The mystery plot is also clunky. There is a lot of armchair psychology about repression and, like, headaches.
Not very impressed.
** I received a Review Copy of this book via NetGalley **
Worst of all: the romance, which completely overtakes this book, is simply terrible. The love interest over whom Teddi spends most of the book waffling is an abusive jerk and is never adequately redeemed by the narrative, never adequately called out for his unacceptable behavior. A secondary love interest, a sort of "nice guy" character, is also actually pretty manipulative.
The mystery plot is also clunky. There is a lot of armchair psychology about repression and, like, headaches.
Not very impressed.
** I received a Review Copy of this book via NetGalley **
April 1, 2018
After having read the Namesake, I looked forward to finally getting my own copy of The Precious Dreadful. I'm going to start out by saying I swear Parlato has something against the nuclear family. Every one of the families he writes about has some kind of deficiency. What ever happened to a nice plain jane two parent mother and father, two daughters living on the street that they grew up on? In any event, on to the review.
I really enjoyed this book. The pace of the book was great. I found myself not wanting to put the book down and at no point in the book did I feel like I was going through an endurance test. At 330 pages this hardcover is a relatively short read and I finished it in two sittings. The character development was also very good. I think that any time that I find myself swearing aloud at a character as I'm reading is a good sign. I found myself hating some characters, loving others, and generally being conflicted about the others.
After reading the namesake I was prepped for a hint of the paranormal, but being primarily a fantasy reader, I found it very easy to suspend my disbelief. That said, I disagree with other reviews that say Parlato left too many threads unresolved. I found that it had a a good amount of the unknown to generate the mystery and psychological drama but not so much as to cause disbelief and jar me out of the story and back into reality. While this is not up to a 5 star rating like I would give for a Stephen King psychological thriller, I think Parlato's "Steven King light" has a spot for the target audience and I give him a solid 4+ stars.
I really enjoyed this book. The pace of the book was great. I found myself not wanting to put the book down and at no point in the book did I feel like I was going through an endurance test. At 330 pages this hardcover is a relatively short read and I finished it in two sittings. The character development was also very good. I think that any time that I find myself swearing aloud at a character as I'm reading is a good sign. I found myself hating some characters, loving others, and generally being conflicted about the others.
After reading the namesake I was prepped for a hint of the paranormal, but being primarily a fantasy reader, I found it very easy to suspend my disbelief. That said, I disagree with other reviews that say Parlato left too many threads unresolved. I found that it had a a good amount of the unknown to generate the mystery and psychological drama but not so much as to cause disbelief and jar me out of the story and back into reality. While this is not up to a 5 star rating like I would give for a Stephen King psychological thriller, I think Parlato's "Steven King light" has a spot for the target audience and I give him a solid 4+ stars.
February 16, 2018
I received this as an ARC on NetGalley.
I'm torn between 3 and 4 stars on this. On the one hand, it felt like there were so many plot points that never really fully fleshed themselves out completely but rather just got glossed over in the end in ambiguity. I didn't really like that. Also, the entire relationship building throughout the book was not great. I'm rarely a fan of characters who fall for each other so quickly with little background or understanding of how and why other than "he's hot" (and yes, I understand that's how teenagers work, I'm with them every day. But in my books I don't like to read it! I WANT MORE DEVELOPMENT!) Also, the end of the book felt like it wrapped up too neatly and quickly.
On the other hand, though, the narrative voice was different and I liked it. The story was definitely unique. It caught me off guard quite a few times and at one point I was so surprised and disturbed that I didn't know what to think. It kept me reading and wanting to know what came next even as I was falling asleep at night. So for that, I rounded up with my stars.
As a warning, though, this book involves some graphic descriptions and many trigger points, so I wouldn't recommend it for young readers who those with weak sensibilities.
I'm torn between 3 and 4 stars on this. On the one hand, it felt like there were so many plot points that never really fully fleshed themselves out completely but rather just got glossed over in the end in ambiguity. I didn't really like that. Also, the entire relationship building throughout the book was not great. I'm rarely a fan of characters who fall for each other so quickly with little background or understanding of how and why other than "he's hot" (and yes, I understand that's how teenagers work, I'm with them every day. But in my books I don't like to read it! I WANT MORE DEVELOPMENT!) Also, the end of the book felt like it wrapped up too neatly and quickly.
On the other hand, though, the narrative voice was different and I liked it. The story was definitely unique. It caught me off guard quite a few times and at one point I was so surprised and disturbed that I didn't know what to think. It kept me reading and wanting to know what came next even as I was falling asleep at night. So for that, I rounded up with my stars.
As a warning, though, this book involves some graphic descriptions and many trigger points, so I wouldn't recommend it for young readers who those with weak sensibilities.
April 11, 2018
i found to be a light enjoyable reading this book. the character teddi has gone through rough time, and seeking solace in writing. Living in small town during the summer, there was two options, jion a theater group or a summer writing group. she jions the writing group , struggling with some issues of being a teenager, alcoholic mom, mystery on her childhood friend, Cory.
Meantime her writing confidence improves and a friend at her writing club helps her on more details on Cory. Later, she connects the dots finding out on her childhood friend.
there are some themes i found intersting, the writing club , a mystery on a childhood friend that disappeared, and some spirituality clues to convey a message and other clues to solving a mystery.
I met the author at local library, I found the talk intersting, he used some of life experiences in the book (being a stage actor, he uses shakespare, he teaches a writing class , and a certain ghost at his residence) he is into spritiality too, :-)
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a light reading, young adult, touch of spirituality sparkled in the story, writer club.
Meantime her writing confidence improves and a friend at her writing club helps her on more details on Cory. Later, she connects the dots finding out on her childhood friend.
there are some themes i found intersting, the writing club , a mystery on a childhood friend that disappeared, and some spirituality clues to convey a message and other clues to solving a mystery.
I met the author at local library, I found the talk intersting, he used some of life experiences in the book (being a stage actor, he uses shakespare, he teaches a writing class , and a certain ghost at his residence) he is into spritiality too, :-)
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a light reading, young adult, touch of spirituality sparkled in the story, writer club.
February 1, 2018
Teddi Alder is a typical teen trying to figure things out. She joins a summer library writing group called SUMMERTEENS. She's just trying to keep busy and not think but while writing disturbing memories of her childhood friend Corey plague her mind.
Leading her to question her friendship with her BFF Willa, how much her mom knows all about it, and her memories. She feels like she's losing her mind when she starts seeing things like a ghost girl when she is alone at the park pool.
On top of all that, she's juggling two guys. As the summer happens, she is determined to sort everything out. Her feelings, the ghost girl that keeps popping up, and the memories of Corey.
With this book, the first thing I noticed was the gorgeous cover. Add in a bit of mystery and romance and I was hooked.
The main character is extremely likeable and even a bit relatable. I absolutely loved how the author managed to write an extremely good book that fits well into the paranormal, romance, and mystery genres.
Be ready to get swept away into Teddi's story.
Leading her to question her friendship with her BFF Willa, how much her mom knows all about it, and her memories. She feels like she's losing her mind when she starts seeing things like a ghost girl when she is alone at the park pool.
On top of all that, she's juggling two guys. As the summer happens, she is determined to sort everything out. Her feelings, the ghost girl that keeps popping up, and the memories of Corey.
With this book, the first thing I noticed was the gorgeous cover. Add in a bit of mystery and romance and I was hooked.
The main character is extremely likeable and even a bit relatable. I absolutely loved how the author managed to write an extremely good book that fits well into the paranormal, romance, and mystery genres.
Be ready to get swept away into Teddi's story.
January 10, 2018
Three days later I'm still absorbing all the nuances of this book. Mr. Parlato's character development of all the players in this drama made me truly live and breathe Teddi's life. I stayed up late Sunday night because I could not put it down! I highlighted so many passages on my advanced reader copy because of his beautiful prose. He perfectly captured the "advance-retreat-advance-stop" process that Teddi battled to follow her personal journey. It's truly a remarkable book! I highly recommend it to everyone, teen and adult alike.
October 4, 2018
Dull, boring, uninspiring. I had high hopes for this YA mystery but I realised pretty early on that it was a bit of a dud. The writing is really harsh and not nice to read, there’s no kind of softness to it. The main character is one of the brattiest teen characters I’ve ever read, the way she speaks to her mother is disgraceful, I just kept thinking she needed a good slap across the face, if I had spoken to my mother the way this character does at her age my parents would’ve kicked my ass.
I actually don’t even really know why I finished this. MEH!
I actually don’t even really know why I finished this. MEH!
December 7, 2017
THE PRECIOUS DREADFUL could be classified as a paranormal suspense, mystery, social problem novel, and Romance. The mystery pulled me through the most. (This may be a bias on my part. I love mysteries the most of all these genres. It's also hard to find YA mysteries.) The flawed characters are dimensional and larger-than-life. Teddi Alder's story grabbed me from the first page. In my opinion, THE PRECIOUS DREADFUL is a YA-crossover, as adult readers will enjoy it too.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
April 1, 2018
Really biased here, so I'll keep the review short and sweet. I adored the book, the premise and characters! Teddi's life has snippets that mirror my own which had bits of the story feeling a little close for comfort.
I'm a huge fan of Parlato's writing and I couldn't find fault with it - yes you have to stick around to the end, but therein lies the joy of the mystery.
I'm a huge fan of Parlato's writing and I couldn't find fault with it - yes you have to stick around to the end, but therein lies the joy of the mystery.
April 2, 2018
This book was an excellent read. You know it’s a well written book when the hairs on the back of your neck are raised during a mysterious section in the plot line. Well done Mr. Parlato!
February 15, 2018
Infused with humor, this is a spooky, tragic story that will stay with me for a long time.
May 30, 2018
THE PRECIOUS DREADFUL follows 16 year-old Teddi and her quest to have a memorable summer that quickly morphs into a quest to uncover her mysterious past. Teddi, the snarky daughter of a struggling single mom, has always been independent and believes in creating her own fun. Thus, she begins her summer be resolving to by joining the library writing group SUMMERTEENS to pass her time. But life is all but normal for Teddi as she keeps seeing a ghostlike girl floating around her town and begging her to remember a mysterious event that involves the disappearance of her best friend Corey. This ghost keeps haunting Teddi, forcing her to confront a gaping hole in the memory of her childhood that she quickly realizes may be far more terrifying and dangerous than she could ever imagine. Utilizing SUMERTEENS as a way to try to access her forgotten memories, Teddi tries to induce recollection by writing about her shady childhood.
To make Teddi’s life more complicated, she also finds herself faced with new and fragile relationships. Teddi’s barista crush Aidan starts liking her back, and the relationship that ensues is made difficult by both Aidan and Teddi’s dark issues. Further complicating things, she and her best friend Willa begin feuding, and the addition of a cute and quirky boy in SUMMERTEENS makes the possibility of a love triangle real.
THE PRECIOUS DREADFUL is a darkly comic coming-of-age story following Teddi’s summer of new experiences becoming a summer of rediscovering the past and finding herself while juggling both normal parts of being a teenager with the lasting impacts of horrific childhood experiences.
An element of the book that I thought worked well was the mystery. The exploration of Teddi’s complicated past, along with the gradual revelations of what actually happened to Corey made for an interesting plot line that added much needed depth to Teddi’s character. It also added depth to Teddi’s mother, a noticeably underdeveloped character prior to the revelations. The section showed Teddi’s mom as confused and intensely human, and helped readers to understand why she acted the odd way she did throughout the majority of the book. In a purely plot-driving sense it was also compelling. The slow discovery of what really happened to Teddi’s friend pushed the plot forward and ensured that the book did not get stuck on the angsty relationships that cause drama throughout the novel.
Another area where the novel excelled was in the minor characters. Willa, Nic, Joy and others constantly created funny dialogue and situations that kept the novel from becoming completely dark and unhappy. The cast of supporting characters did a great job balancing the darkness of the other elements of the plot and made many of the scenes lighthearted and humorous.
A big struggle for this book was development. The characters seemed thin and underdeveloped. Teddi’s character in particular seemed to act irrationally at points. Her decision making was not consistent throughout the novel, and many of the things she did seemed unrealistic. The only real development to Teddi came in the last fifty pages of the novel which was unfortunately too late to make a lasting impact on the way I viewed her character.
There are some incredibly problematic elements to this book that, unfortunately, corrupt the entire story and distracted me from the point of the book. The main problem comes with Aidan and Teddi’s relationship. Put simply, it's incredibly abusive, and it’s portrayed as normal. Throughout the book, Aidan yells at Teddi, approaches Teddi’s best friend in a threatening manner, and at one point their argument escalates to where he slaps Teddi across her face. And Teddi reacts by...still going after Aidan? There is no reaction from Teddi that indicates that she finds Aidan’s behavior unacceptable, and it is presented more as a minor inconvenience that Teddi would get temporarily frustrated with, but would end up bouncing back to Aidan. This was appalling. Not only did the author incorporate a serious and sensitive topic like abusive relationships without dedicating enough time to properly address and incorporate it into the novel, but he also diminished the importance of the issue itself by barely having any repercussions to Aidan’s actions.
Because of the portrayal of abusive relationships as normal, I don’t think I can recommend this book to anyone in fear of it affecting their notions of what constitutes a healthy relationship. Despite the intriguing mystery and supporting cast of quirky characters, THE PRECIOUS DREADFUL fell short of what it promised to be.
Reviewed by Anna Kate L.
To make Teddi’s life more complicated, she also finds herself faced with new and fragile relationships. Teddi’s barista crush Aidan starts liking her back, and the relationship that ensues is made difficult by both Aidan and Teddi’s dark issues. Further complicating things, she and her best friend Willa begin feuding, and the addition of a cute and quirky boy in SUMMERTEENS makes the possibility of a love triangle real.
THE PRECIOUS DREADFUL is a darkly comic coming-of-age story following Teddi’s summer of new experiences becoming a summer of rediscovering the past and finding herself while juggling both normal parts of being a teenager with the lasting impacts of horrific childhood experiences.
An element of the book that I thought worked well was the mystery. The exploration of Teddi’s complicated past, along with the gradual revelations of what actually happened to Corey made for an interesting plot line that added much needed depth to Teddi’s character. It also added depth to Teddi’s mother, a noticeably underdeveloped character prior to the revelations. The section showed Teddi’s mom as confused and intensely human, and helped readers to understand why she acted the odd way she did throughout the majority of the book. In a purely plot-driving sense it was also compelling. The slow discovery of what really happened to Teddi’s friend pushed the plot forward and ensured that the book did not get stuck on the angsty relationships that cause drama throughout the novel.
Another area where the novel excelled was in the minor characters. Willa, Nic, Joy and others constantly created funny dialogue and situations that kept the novel from becoming completely dark and unhappy. The cast of supporting characters did a great job balancing the darkness of the other elements of the plot and made many of the scenes lighthearted and humorous.
A big struggle for this book was development. The characters seemed thin and underdeveloped. Teddi’s character in particular seemed to act irrationally at points. Her decision making was not consistent throughout the novel, and many of the things she did seemed unrealistic. The only real development to Teddi came in the last fifty pages of the novel which was unfortunately too late to make a lasting impact on the way I viewed her character.
There are some incredibly problematic elements to this book that, unfortunately, corrupt the entire story and distracted me from the point of the book. The main problem comes with Aidan and Teddi’s relationship. Put simply, it's incredibly abusive, and it’s portrayed as normal. Throughout the book, Aidan yells at Teddi, approaches Teddi’s best friend in a threatening manner, and at one point their argument escalates to where he slaps Teddi across her face. And Teddi reacts by...still going after Aidan? There is no reaction from Teddi that indicates that she finds Aidan’s behavior unacceptable, and it is presented more as a minor inconvenience that Teddi would get temporarily frustrated with, but would end up bouncing back to Aidan. This was appalling. Not only did the author incorporate a serious and sensitive topic like abusive relationships without dedicating enough time to properly address and incorporate it into the novel, but he also diminished the importance of the issue itself by barely having any repercussions to Aidan’s actions.
Because of the portrayal of abusive relationships as normal, I don’t think I can recommend this book to anyone in fear of it affecting their notions of what constitutes a healthy relationship. Despite the intriguing mystery and supporting cast of quirky characters, THE PRECIOUS DREADFUL fell short of what it promised to be.
Reviewed by Anna Kate L.
April 26, 2020
“I stop short at movement in the shadows by the ice cream cooler. Bracing for a herd of mice, or worse bats, I stiffen. There are footprints, smaller than mine, oozing up from the dust, muddy. They lead behind the cooler… On my knees I inspect the tracks. Smudges of dried mud. Whoever made them had to be small – and walking on tiptoe. Sniffing, I note a faint chlorine smell. The temperature drops. I expect to see my breath. I hear my name again. This time, it’s not Aidan, but a whisper from behind the freezer. Followed by this eerie giggle.”
When Teddi Alder, a slightly nerdy, slightly lonely girl perched on the cusp of summer, decides to join the teen writing group at the local library to pass the time, she has no idea that the journaling prompts she’ll be assigned will open a long-sealed well of memory. What seeps darkly from Teddi’s subconscious changes the course of her whole life.
Local author Steven Parlato paints Teddi’s world of teenage angst with sharp, sarcastic humor. Trying to carve out a stable life from the constantly-shifting sands that underpin her life as the only child of a capricious and unpredictable single mother, Teddi doggedly examines her own strengths and weaknesses, searching resolutely for her place in the world.
Though she has habitually leaned on her best friend Willa for direction, the addition of boys to this summer have blown the girls onto different courses. Teddi’s bold step toward independence places her squarely in the path of not one, but two mysterious young men, who vie to become Teddi’s source of support as her summer journal opens a disturbing portal to the past.
Moving swiftly, The Precious Dreadful examines the fascinating world of the subconscious, mixing in drops of insight, sparkles of exhilaration and trickles of horror. Author Steven Parlato weaves an enthralling adventure that takes Teddi swirling through past and present, setting her as the knight in her own story, as only she can save herself.
Steven Parlato is an Associate Professor of English at Naugatuck Community College, as well as an author, poet, artist and actor. He received the NISOD Award for Excellence in Teaching in 2012, and the NVCC Presidential Medal of Honor in 2017. The Precious Dreadful is his second novel.
This young adult novel is appropriate for readers aged 14 and up (contains a few references to sex and drugs)
When Teddi Alder, a slightly nerdy, slightly lonely girl perched on the cusp of summer, decides to join the teen writing group at the local library to pass the time, she has no idea that the journaling prompts she’ll be assigned will open a long-sealed well of memory. What seeps darkly from Teddi’s subconscious changes the course of her whole life.
Local author Steven Parlato paints Teddi’s world of teenage angst with sharp, sarcastic humor. Trying to carve out a stable life from the constantly-shifting sands that underpin her life as the only child of a capricious and unpredictable single mother, Teddi doggedly examines her own strengths and weaknesses, searching resolutely for her place in the world.
Though she has habitually leaned on her best friend Willa for direction, the addition of boys to this summer have blown the girls onto different courses. Teddi’s bold step toward independence places her squarely in the path of not one, but two mysterious young men, who vie to become Teddi’s source of support as her summer journal opens a disturbing portal to the past.
Moving swiftly, The Precious Dreadful examines the fascinating world of the subconscious, mixing in drops of insight, sparkles of exhilaration and trickles of horror. Author Steven Parlato weaves an enthralling adventure that takes Teddi swirling through past and present, setting her as the knight in her own story, as only she can save herself.
Steven Parlato is an Associate Professor of English at Naugatuck Community College, as well as an author, poet, artist and actor. He received the NISOD Award for Excellence in Teaching in 2012, and the NVCC Presidential Medal of Honor in 2017. The Precious Dreadful is his second novel.
This young adult novel is appropriate for readers aged 14 and up (contains a few references to sex and drugs)
April 15, 2018
This book had the potential to be a pretty awesome (if slightly predictable) story, if Aidan hadn't been in the book. Or at least not in the last half. The basic premise of there being a mystery lurking just out of reach, waiting to be uncovered, is usually a nice one, and the author covered it well.
The good: the writing was honestly pretty awesome most of the time. Just that sort of writing where as you read in the back of your mind you go "oh hey that bit was particularly well done, bravo." The main plot, while predictable, was approached well though there were times I just wanted to shake Teddi and tell her to get on with it.
The bad: Spoiler: not every animal survived the making of this book :(
The ugly: The relationships. God they were excruciating. "I know my bff is telling me the truth but I'm going to call her a liar and then ignore EVERY attempt she makes to get in touch and then everything is magically better" was actually the better relationship, as awful as that sounds. Mainly? The issue was Aidan.
Here there be spoilers: Aidan as the abused kid that's becoming an abuser was easy to spot, and at first I was okay with that. I assumed (you know what they say about that) that there was some plan in place to make a point about noticing abuse, signs, extracting yourself from it. But no, dear Steven just wrote Teddi to fall for it, hook, line, and sinker, and to never look back. There were SO MANY SIGNS and then she'd just be in love with him and go straight back, even though (as Aidan himself points out) she doesn't even know him basically. The only reason Teddi apparently likes him is because he's a 10 or 10+ idek, and honestly idec. She almost loses a friend over it, she ignores people flat out telling her he's cheating and makes excuses for him, and everything is just a hot mess. And then the ending? Where for some reason she takes him out on dates with her and the new bf because she feels bad that he's a moron and ODed instead of making it to her big night? Seriously?? And don't even get me started on the CPR. Pro tip: chest compression is so much more important than the kiss of life.
So the book had the potential to at least be 4*s, but the author's dedication to Aidan majorly damaged that chance for me.
The good: the writing was honestly pretty awesome most of the time. Just that sort of writing where as you read in the back of your mind you go "oh hey that bit was particularly well done, bravo." The main plot, while predictable, was approached well though there were times I just wanted to shake Teddi and tell her to get on with it.
The bad: Spoiler: not every animal survived the making of this book :(
The ugly: The relationships. God they were excruciating. "I know my bff is telling me the truth but I'm going to call her a liar and then ignore EVERY attempt she makes to get in touch and then everything is magically better" was actually the better relationship, as awful as that sounds. Mainly? The issue was Aidan.
Here there be spoilers: Aidan as the abused kid that's becoming an abuser was easy to spot, and at first I was okay with that. I assumed (you know what they say about that) that there was some plan in place to make a point about noticing abuse, signs, extracting yourself from it. But no, dear Steven just wrote Teddi to fall for it, hook, line, and sinker, and to never look back. There were SO MANY SIGNS and then she'd just be in love with him and go straight back, even though (as Aidan himself points out) she doesn't even know him basically. The only reason Teddi apparently likes him is because he's a 10 or 10+ idek, and honestly idec. She almost loses a friend over it, she ignores people flat out telling her he's cheating and makes excuses for him, and everything is just a hot mess. And then the ending? Where for some reason she takes him out on dates with her and the new bf because she feels bad that he's a moron and ODed instead of making it to her big night? Seriously?? And don't even get me started on the CPR. Pro tip: chest compression is so much more important than the kiss of life.
So the book had the potential to at least be 4*s, but the author's dedication to Aidan majorly damaged that chance for me.
October 25, 2020
Remember the old Alka-Seltzer commercial where the guy repeatedly says, “I can’t believe I ate the whole thing...”? Yeah. That’s how I feel about this book. I can’t believe I read the whole thing.
I am a sucker for repressed memory mysteries so I kept going even I was repeatedly hit over the head with the prose. I’m not trying to be funny; that’s really what it felt like. For instance: the name. I don’t know about everyone else, but I enjoy it when I figure out the meaning behind an enigmatic name. I wasn’t given that chance. I was slapped in the face with it in case I was too dense to understand it. The titular memory could so easily have been described as a moment so awful, so dreadful and yet also precious because it was the last moment the two characters shared. Instead it was literally the title, not even a complete sentence, in its own paragraph.
The precious dreadful.
I’m reminded of the scene in Tankgirl when Jet can’t get past “The tank is...” and Rebecca urges her on, “c’mon, we need an adjective! The tank is mad? The tank is sad?”
Another problem with this book was Teddi’s inability to think straight whenever the hot guy is around. Yes, it was made clear that she was crushing on Aiden for weeks but the guy is such an asshole that it’s really hard to understand her going back to him repeatedly. That could still happen of course; there are lots of young girls and guys who make bad decisions based on hormonal urges. But I also really disliked the quick changes during their conversations, when they switch between flirting, serious talk, abuse, gaslighting, and then back to flirting. Frankly, Teddi’s thoughts about Aiden sounded more like Aiden thinking about what he assumes Teddi to be thinking about him.
So really, two stars for the book, but three because the story, though badly written, was compelling enough to make me finish the book.
I am a sucker for repressed memory mysteries so I kept going even I was repeatedly hit over the head with the prose. I’m not trying to be funny; that’s really what it felt like. For instance: the name. I don’t know about everyone else, but I enjoy it when I figure out the meaning behind an enigmatic name. I wasn’t given that chance. I was slapped in the face with it in case I was too dense to understand it. The titular memory could so easily have been described as a moment so awful, so dreadful and yet also precious because it was the last moment the two characters shared. Instead it was literally the title, not even a complete sentence, in its own paragraph.
The precious dreadful.
I’m reminded of the scene in Tankgirl when Jet can’t get past “The tank is...” and Rebecca urges her on, “c’mon, we need an adjective! The tank is mad? The tank is sad?”
Another problem with this book was Teddi’s inability to think straight whenever the hot guy is around. Yes, it was made clear that she was crushing on Aiden for weeks but the guy is such an asshole that it’s really hard to understand her going back to him repeatedly. That could still happen of course; there are lots of young girls and guys who make bad decisions based on hormonal urges. But I also really disliked the quick changes during their conversations, when they switch between flirting, serious talk, abuse, gaslighting, and then back to flirting. Frankly, Teddi’s thoughts about Aiden sounded more like Aiden thinking about what he assumes Teddi to be thinking about him.
So really, two stars for the book, but three because the story, though badly written, was compelling enough to make me finish the book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 17, 2020
I have had this book on my TBR list for a while and
recently had the good fortune to dive into it. I couldn’t put it down until I was done…and then I was sorry I was. Don’t be put off by the YA assignation, although it is a strong entry in that genre, too. This novel introduces Teddi Alder, a strong, sarcastic street-smart protagonist who brings the reader along with her every thought as she navigates a challenging summer in her young life.
And what a life it is. Starting out with the kind of decisions a typical teen might encounter once school ends and an endless summer stares them in the face, this story quickly picks up the pace as nighttime visions and daytime relationships start to relentlessly converge on Teddi’s psyche. Questions such as “what time should I get up?” and which snack should I choose” pale in comparison to those Teddi has to answer, such as “am I going crazy?” and “what kind of friend am I?”
Steven Parlato presents Teddi’s voice as sympathetic and realistic. The characters are engaging and so is the dialogue…quick, glib and authentic. He writes with an attention to detail—every mood, location and feeling is accessible; you might as well be a character in the book yourself because it feels as if you’re right there.
I definitely recommend this book because of its solid writing, captivating characters and powerful story—it snags your interest from the first pages and demands your attention as it barrels towards its difficult, but satisfying end.
recently had the good fortune to dive into it. I couldn’t put it down until I was done…and then I was sorry I was. Don’t be put off by the YA assignation, although it is a strong entry in that genre, too. This novel introduces Teddi Alder, a strong, sarcastic street-smart protagonist who brings the reader along with her every thought as she navigates a challenging summer in her young life.
And what a life it is. Starting out with the kind of decisions a typical teen might encounter once school ends and an endless summer stares them in the face, this story quickly picks up the pace as nighttime visions and daytime relationships start to relentlessly converge on Teddi’s psyche. Questions such as “what time should I get up?” and which snack should I choose” pale in comparison to those Teddi has to answer, such as “am I going crazy?” and “what kind of friend am I?”
Steven Parlato presents Teddi’s voice as sympathetic and realistic. The characters are engaging and so is the dialogue…quick, glib and authentic. He writes with an attention to detail—every mood, location and feeling is accessible; you might as well be a character in the book yourself because it feels as if you’re right there.
I definitely recommend this book because of its solid writing, captivating characters and powerful story—it snags your interest from the first pages and demands your attention as it barrels towards its difficult, but satisfying end.
April 14, 2018
“The Precious Dreadful” follows 15-almost-16 year old Teddi Alder, who is just trying to get through the summer without dying from boredom. As such, she joins SUMMERTEENS, a library sponsored creative writing course that explicitly asks to bring real feeling into every piece of work. From her second story, Teddi realizes she is dealing with a series of repressed memories, some of which have terrible consequences to her current world.
All while this is going down, the whole mystery/ghost child thing, Teddi throws herself into a love triangle, and attempts to identify with her drunkard mother.
It may not seem like a lot, but the countless plot points and relationships are introduced by page 30 in a turmoil of slightly strange writing. The story does create for an enjoyable mess of a book, however believable it may be. Ghosts are fine, but sudden summer romances and extended dream sequences are where I draw the line.
To make matters worse, Aidan, one of the two boys Teddi is interested in, was the worst part of the book. He has no redeeming qualities and a raging need to make out, but we were supposed to sympathize with him somehow.
All in all, I couldn’t put the book down for too long, even if it was just out of pure horror over these teenagers’ actions. So it did accomplish something.
All while this is going down, the whole mystery/ghost child thing, Teddi throws herself into a love triangle, and attempts to identify with her drunkard mother.
It may not seem like a lot, but the countless plot points and relationships are introduced by page 30 in a turmoil of slightly strange writing. The story does create for an enjoyable mess of a book, however believable it may be. Ghosts are fine, but sudden summer romances and extended dream sequences are where I draw the line.
To make matters worse, Aidan, one of the two boys Teddi is interested in, was the worst part of the book. He has no redeeming qualities and a raging need to make out, but we were supposed to sympathize with him somehow.
All in all, I couldn’t put the book down for too long, even if it was just out of pure horror over these teenagers’ actions. So it did accomplish something.
July 11, 2018
Do you ever encounter a trainwreck that needs to be read? That was this book. I was excited to see a local author, and I wanted to know where he was from. I was trying to "place" where the story even was set, and struggled with that, (I ended up envisioning my hometown of East Hartford. But even that wasn't right, because Teddi's house was connected to a store front) and looked up some articles where Mr. Parlato was from. Waterbury, apparently. He had Waterbury, CT in mind when he created this story. Well.. ok.. Makes more sense, except when you look at the characters, they aren't the right blend of what Waterbury is. (FYI, Waterbury is a city). Aside from that gripe... Teddi never and that to me was like.. holy bad decisions Batman! Some characters I wish we saw more of, like Edwin/Joy and Marisol, who come across as cheap filler. Willa is another trainwreck where she never wises up to the fact so no one leaves anything. At all. Ever. The end. Oh, I figured out where one of the characters has retreated to, when they're discussing WHAT HAPPENED TO X CHARACTER???
This book was a mix of "Do people change? Nope." and "Oh look, exposition because this character is trying to not remain static but.. oh.. nope.. nevermind."
This book was a mix of "Do people change? Nope." and "Oh look, exposition because this character is trying to not remain static but.. oh.. nope.. nevermind."
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