Pinned

by Sharon G. Flake

Key Features Description Award-winning author, Sharon G. Flake, presents a powerful novel about a teen boy and girl, each tackling disabilities. Autumn and Adonis have nothing in common and everything in common. Autumn is outgoing and has lots of friends. Adonis is shy and not so eager to connect with people. But even with their differences, the two have one thing in common - they're each dealing with a handicap. For Autumn, who has a learning disability, reading is a painful struggle that makes it hard to focus in class. But as her school's most aggressive team wrestler, Autumn can take down any problem. Adonis is confined to a wheelchair. He has no legs. He can't walk or... Show More Award-winning author, Sharon G. Flake, presents a powerful novel about a teen boy and girl, each tackling disabilities. Autumn and Adonis have nothing in common and everything in common. Autumn is outgoing and has lots of friends. Adonis is shy and not so eager to connect with people. But even with their differences, the two have one thing in common - they're each dealing with a handicap. For Autumn, who has a learning disability, reading is a painful struggle that makes it hard to focus in class. But as her school's most aggressive team wrestler, Autumn can take down any problem. Adonis is confined to a wheelchair. He has no legs. He can't walk or dance. But he's a strong reader who loves books. Even so, Adonis has a secret he knows someone like Autumn can heal. In time, Autumn and Adonis are forced to see that our greatest weaknesses can turn into the assets that forever change us and those we love. Told in alternating voices, Pinned explores issues of self-discovery, friendship, and what it means to be different. Product Details Item #: NTS554999 9780545549998 Paperback Book 240 Realistic Fiction, Young Adult 7 - 9 Lexile® HL460L Guided Reading GR Level V DRA 40 - 50 ... ACR 3.4 Show Less Show More Key Features Item #: NTS554999 9780545549998 Paperback Book 240 Realistic Fiction, Young Adult 7 - 9 Lexile® HL460L Guided Reading GR Level V DRA 40 - 50 ... ACR 3.4

Genres: Young Adult, Realistic Fiction, Romance, Sports, Disability, Fiction, Contemporary

228 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2012

About the author

Sharon G. Flake is the author of five books, The Skin I'm In (1998), Money Hungry (2002), Begging for Change (2003), Who Am I Without Him? Short Stories About Boys and the Girls in Their Lives (2004), Bang! (Sept. 2005), and her latest novel The Broken Bike Boy and the Queen of 33rd Street (2007).

Her work is used in public and private schools around the nation, from elementary to high school, and is often required reading in colleges for students in education, child development, children's literature and English writing programs. Beyond that, her work is also a favorite among adults and adult book club readers.

Flake and her work have won numerous awards and recognitions including: Best Books for Young Adult Readers; Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers; the New York Public Library Top Ten Books for the Teen Age; 2005 featured author in the Ninth Book of Junior Authors & Illustrators; 2005 Capitol Choices; Noteworthy Books for Children; 2004 Chicago Public Library's Best of the Best Book; 2004 Texas Lone Star Award for Top Ten Books; 2002, 2004 Coretta Scott King Honor Award; Pennsylvania Council of the Arts Grant; 2004 Bank Street Best of the Year; 2004 Bulletin Blue Ribbon Book; 2004 CCBC Choices; Booklist Top Ten Fantasy Book; 2004 Booklist Top Ten Romance Novels for Youth; 2004 Booklist Editor's Choice Award; 2003 Detroit Free LIbrary Author of the Year; 1999 YWCA Racial Justice Award; 1999 Coretta Scott King-John Steptoe New Talent Award and more.

Flake's work appears on the Anti-Defamation League's website which stresses the use of children's literature to help educators address the problem of bullying in schools.

Flake was born in Philadelphia, PA, but has resided in Pittsburgh, PA with her daughter for many years. She is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh with a BA in English. For several years she was a youth counselor for a foster care agency, after which she spent 18 years working at the University of Pittsburgh in public relations. She has written numerous articles for national publications. Prior to having her first book published, she wrote for approximately 15 years.

Reviews

[Jenn · Rating 1 out of 5]

Told from alternative viewpoints, Sharon Flake’s new novel explores the relationship between high school students Adonis and Autumn. Due to a birth defect, Adonis was born without legs and is wheelchair-bound. He compensates for his physical disabilities by striving for academic perfection; he is much more interested in receiving praise and admiration from his teachers than forming relationships with his peers. On the other end of the spectrum is Autumn, a weak student with an enormous personality. Autumn is a star on the boys' wrestling team, but she struggles mightily in the classroom with both reading and mathematics. She says she is attracted to smart guys, and Autumn has her sights on Adonis. She is convinced, with enough effort, her effervescent personality and her deep devotion will win Adonis over. She has a big uphill battle though, because Adonis wants nothing to do with a girl who can barely read. He rejects her harshly throughout the novel, but Autumn keeps coming back for more.

Pinned does an excellent job of showing the powerful role family background plays in shaping a child’s opportunities and values. Adonis’s mother is an educated woman who has taught her son the importance of doing well at school. Her efforts to prove to her son that he can accomplish anything have resulted though in Adonis’s cocky over self-confidence. Autumn’s parents are both high school dropouts who can barely read. Only recently have they come to terms with their daughter’s academic troubles. Not wanting her to follow the same path they feel they were forced down, they try to practice reading together as a family. Unfortunately, the damage is already done and Autumn despises reading so much that she is very reluctant to try to improve.

Though her novel has some strengths, Flake’s message about relationships is deeply disturbing. Pinned shows young readers if you pursue something hard and long enough, eventually you will get what you want, even in relationships. Autumn stalks Adonis throughout the novel. She sends him endless text messages, follows him through the halls, sits in his lap, and kisses him without his consent. The reader is supposed to believe that this is okay because deep, deep down (so deep he doesn’t consciously know it) Adonis wants Autumn’s affection. Imagine if the genders were reversed in this novel. A strong, muscular boy on the wrestling team relentlessly pursing and forcing himself upon a crippled girl? Autumn’s friends and family would be seeking a restraining order. Autumn’s acceptance of Adonis’s behavior towards her is also unsettling. She is seen as a pure, loyal character because she accepts his constant rebukes. Adonis belittles and insults Autumn at every turn, but that has little effect on her feelings towards him. Though Adonis and Autumn change the way they feel towards each other, they don’t apologize for their behavior.

I loved Flake’s novel The Skin I’m In and I had high hopes for Pinned. Though I liked the way Flake portrayed the academic issues that many students, particularly African American students, face, her depiction of adolescent romance left me feeling deeply disappointed.

[Rose · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sharon G. Flake's "Pinned" has so much heart and authentic voices behind it, and I think that's one of the reasons why I enjoyed reading it as much as I did. Taking perspectives of two teens who struggle with their respective limitations and rounding them out in an environment where they cross and collide with their challenges is something I applaud in any young adult book - and Flake does it well for the most part. The book toggles between Autumn, a talented female wrestler who struggles with reading and doing well in her academics, and Adonis, an academically ambitious boy who finds it hard to make friends and suffers from a physical disability.

Very early on in the story, Autumn reveals her crush on Adonis - but Adonis makes it clear that he wants nothing to do with Autumn despite the fact that he thinks about her more than he's willing to admit. She admires his intelligence, he (though it's quite begrudgingly) like her talent in wrestling - not just being the only girl, but for how her moves are "like chess pieces" in the arena.

But there's a problem - Autumn's grades are slipping and if she can't get her act together, she faces being banned from the only thing she feels she's good at doing. Autumn knows her problem - she hates reading and she's not good at it. Her parents struggle with reading as well, but they try to encourage her as much as they can. I really liked how Flake shows the struggles that Autumn goes through in this consideration - it's realistic. Even the sentiments she feels towards her ambitious best friend, Peaches, are palpable. Yet, it does take a while for Autumn to come to terms with being able to make the effort needed to achieve her goals.

Now what to say about Adonis: I honestly did not like his character. He's arrogant, puts down Autumn for her learning handicap, and is quick to dismiss helping her or deny liking her, even going so far as to dismiss her company several times. I understood his personality well enough considering the crude bullying he endured and a near death experience that threw his world in conjunction with his physical limitations (he was born without legs), but it was difficult to sympathize with his mental voice. I did like how ambitious and smart he was, and there were moments that I think he contributed some constructive insights with respect to the situations around him as well as showed kindness to Autumn in some of her rougher moments. Still, it really wasn't enough to redeem his character for me, though I think it was intentional that Flake crafted his character to be that blunt and gruff. I just didn't see the rounding out of his character as readily as Autumn - who came full circle as the novel came to pass.

I did like some of Autumn and Adonis's interactions in their more intimate moments, yet I still felt that their coming together was a little rushed and didn't have the payoff I was hoping for. I think young audiences probably won't mind it that much, but for those who want a story that digs a little deeper, the beginning and middle of "Pinned" are good, but the ending felt a bit hurried in comparison to the rest of the novel.

I think if "Pinned" had managed to tie up some of its loose plot threads and had a little more cohesion towards the end, I could've easily given this 3.5/4 stars. I liked the journey for what it offered overall, but still felt with a little more vetting and rounding out towards the end, it could've hit home with some of the character growth more than what it did.

Overall score: 3/5

Note: I recieved this as an ARC from NetGalley, from the publisher Scholastic.

[Rotten Egg · Rating 1 out of 5]

I've read this book recently. Got a piece of advice for you.. don't waste your money and your time!
Not only were the characters horrible, the plot also bothered me. I also did not get a satisfactory message from this book, nor see any character development!!

First, let's talk about our main characters Autumn and Adonis.
! Autumn is her school's first female wrestler and she has a passion for cooking and Adonis. She has a reading disability so throughout the book, she is trying to improve her grades (even though she never does).
On the other hand, Adonis is an intelligent man with a lot of strengths, but the only problem in his life is that he is confined to a wheelchair.
Read on if you want to know why I do not recommend this book at all...

At first, young Autumn seems so lively and outgoing, but once the book gets talks about her crush on the genius Adonis, everything tumbles down. Autumn follows Adonis everywhere! (It really got on my nerves). Adonis really seems to despise her, and he tells her not only once, but maybe about a hundred times to GO AWAY. But, almost as if Autumn is deaf, she keeps on stalking him, spamming him with texts, and sits on his lap!!!
Did I already mention that Adonis is a disabled boy without legs in a wheelchair?
I swear, that is harassment, especially when we have a 9th grader WRESTLER sitting on a disabled boy's lap, without consent!
I just despised both characters, Autumn and Adonis. Why did Autumn have to be so annoying? Why did Adonis have to be so full of himself?!
And PLEASE don't get me started on Autumn's parents!

I do not want to spend all my time talking about this book, please. Just don't read it, ok? Period.

[Jill · Rating 1 out of 5]

Oh, where should I begin... Well, the writing is good except the entire plot is riddled with gaps and lapses in logic. Here are but a few:

1. The amazing school passes students who can't read.

2. The parents who worked so hard getting GEDs (who can't freaking read either!!!) do not help their daughter or try to get her help, though they do blame themselves (WTF). And they still won't let her wrestle. Oh well, she'll figure how to improve her grades and get back on the team somehow.

3. Adonis loves to teach yet refuses to tutor struggling students for personal reasons. Does the holy-shit-amazing school with horticultural and culinary departments not have a student tutoring program? Mr. Epperson touches on it but Adonis is the only student we see with interest in tutoring. However, he refuses to tutor Autumn AND Peaches who both could really use his help.

4. Adonis is a complete ass to Autumn for no good reason. She pathetically chases after him anyway, kissing him against his will in school (hello, sexual harassment?!). He calls her stupid in front of everyone, including teachers, to which she replies, "No one can talk to me like that even though I love you. I love you more than Peaches." Which she says in front of Peaches! That's real nice--throw your best friend under the bus for a verbally abusive guy, a guy who particularly hates Peaches. What a low blow. But there is no response from Peaches and things continue as normal.

And why do teachers never step in ever??? Aren't they hearing/seeing any of this? It's happening at school!

5. Adonis doesn't develop as a character as shown by his embarrassment at being seen as Autumn's boyfriend ON THE LAST EFFING PAGE.

6. The fact that the police were never involved in Adonis' near-murder by his fellow students. Not to mention, Peaches never apologizes for not saving Adonis from the pond. He would have died if those other kids hadn't come along but he's arrogant and wouldn't tutor her so screw him, let him drown. And Adonis never apologizes for refusing to tutor her and we never really know why he wouldn't. The story just says he and Peaches are cousins from different sides of the track and their fathers had an old grudge which apparently no one remembers the reason for. Adonis never comes off his high horse about this issue and generally remains an arrogant prick.

[Erin Forson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pinned
by Sharon Flake
3 Scribbles
To be released October 1, 2012. Thank you to NetGALLEY for providing the ARC to review!
Autumn is a superb wrestler who struggles with reading and school in general, a problem which may prevent her from competing in the state wrestling championship. Adonis was born without legs, and an extraordinarily high intelligence who struggles with nothing except his humility. In the simple, truncated voice of Autumn, and the precise, smug voice of Adonis, the reader quickly learns that Autumn “loves” Adonis, despite the fact that Adonis seems to hate her. In fact, Autumn’s relentless indifference to Adonis’s snide remarks and self-centeredness seems to only cement her resolve to have Adonis as a boyfriend. In her eyes (and in his) Adonis is perfect.

Flake does an excellent job showing how a person’s opportunities and their family background can shape a person’s values. For instance, Adonis, even after losing his father at an early age, has a highly educated mother who has taught him that, despite his disability, Adonis is not at a disadvantage in the world. This, coupled with his natural intelligence, help him to succeed. Yet, “looking good” is a priority for Adonis. At one point, while admiring his reflection in the mirror, he describes his appearance as “perfect.” Clearly, appearance is all that is important to Adonis; in his own words he equates appearance with “integrity.” However, Adonis has little integrity. He doesn’t value people. He judges others ruthlessly. He considers himself above the “regulars.” He is a self-absorbed snob who gives to no one.

On the other hand, Autumn’s parents are high school dropouts who work hard to provide for their child. Yet even when they try to support Autumn and encourage her to focus on her academics as well as her wrestling, they are unable to help her because they themselves are poorly educated. Yet, Autumn has integrity and at times seems wise beyond her years. She doesn’t cheat to get what she wants as some do. And rather than immediately announce plans to improve her situation that she does not intend to carry out, she waits until she is ready to face the challenge, then seeks the support of otherss by announcing her plan. Perhaps most admirable, Autumn doesn’t value others based on their physical appearance the way Adonis does. She simply doesn’t stand in judgment of others, even when they have done wrong. She’s a giver whose heart is pure. She is a selfless, humble athlete.

Perhaps Flake’s purpose in the novel is to show how Autumn’s purity, her longsuffering, and her patience with Adonis’ imperfections changes him. However, Autumn’s tolerance of Adonis’ rudeness (she takes a stand only once when he belittles her) is hard to accept. What is more troubling is the fact that Autumn seems to virtually stalk Adonis at the start of the novel, and then accepts and encourages his secretive nature about their friendship later. Instead of creating an image of Autumn as a strong, healthy and independent protagonist with a pure heart, Autumn comes off as a desperate girl with very low self-esteem. Instead of Adonis turning out to be a more humble, changed boy, he comes off as being even more concerned with what others think and his beloved image—at best he is simply confused, but unchanged. However, despite its thematic shortcomings, the novel does reflect the reality of many young relationships. Perhaps this lack of sugarcoating is the novel’s appeal and redemption.

[Mrs. S · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this one up after reading a review and praise for the cover at Bookshelves of Doom. For serious, though, the cover: not one but TWO characters depicted with FACES and everything, both African-American teenagers, one a girl, one in a wheelchair. For that reason alone, I plunked down the ol' Visa. (It's called voting with your dollars, folks: if you have the money to buy books, you gotta buy the books you ask for when the publishers put them out. A non-white-washed, non-hidden-disability, non-chopped-off-head-girl cover? Yes. More please!)

But when Pinned finally made its way to the top of my TBR, I was happy to see that the story inside was just as great. Autumn and Adonis are not characters I've really seen before--in books. I've seen Autumn in my classroom, FOR SURE--I thought of two of my former students in particular reading this, and it really made me miss them and hope they're doing ok. Autumn is a stellar baker, a hard-working and gifted wrestler, a student who really struggles with reading and math (but has a ton of integrity in the classroom), and a gregarious, chatty girl. Her best friend Peaches--whose high grades are a reflection of her mother's pressure, who finds a way to shine at any price, who just wants to live in Paris and have a glamorous life, who knows how to put her best foot forward and rock a speech or presentation to state officials--is another character who felt more like a person than a story. Even Jaxxon, a relatively minor character who is in some classes with Autumn, clearly had his own thing going on, and his brief confrontation with a teacher put me right back in the moments when my students shouted at me: they always had a reason, and it's clear he does too. I adored these kids. In fact, all the supporting characters in the book clearly had other things happening in their lives that the POV characters--and therefore, readers--aren't privy to. The one character I had trouble connecting with was Adonis--and I think that was intentional. Adonis isn't interested in connecting; he is so disciplined that other people's failures confuse him, and he is still making sense of a traumatic incident that rattled his ironclad self-image. So while I didn't connect to him, I was fascinated by him, and by this story about a pair of students who seemed unlikely to ever find themselves on the same page. I can't wait to share this with students when the school year starts.

[Clementine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Autumn is the only female wrestler on her high school team. Adonis is the smartest boy in school. Where Autumn is vivacious and outgoing, Adonis is shy and guarded. The two have nothing in common on the surface, but they each have a disability they’re dealing with. For Adonis, it’s on the outside: he has no legs and is confined to a wheelchair. Autumn’s disability is much more hidden: she can’t read very well, and each day is a struggle. Despite their differences and Adonis’s reluctance to have anything to do with Autumn, the two find that they have more in common than they initially realized.

This novel is a knockout from start to finish. Flake pulls readers in with both Autumn and Adonis’s distinct, beautifully authentic voices, and crafts a quiet little story about perseverance and determination. Both the main characters are fully realized, smart, and achingly real. While the novel is definitely much more character-driven than anything, the short chapters and brief length should attract reluctant readers.

It’s a good thing, too, because there’s a lot here to love. In addition to crafting some of the strongest narration voices in YA this year, Flake has created a story that has sympathetic and intriguing secondary characters as well. This is especially true in the case of Autumn’s best friend Patricia (aka Peaches) and both Adonis and Autumn’s present and supportive parents.

Everything about the novel is well done from the pacing to the plot to the characterization. Why Draper isn’t getting more notice for her novels flummoxes this reader. There’s something here for most readers, and presenting a strong female character who wrestles but is also feminine is likely to draw in readers who might otherwise be put off by the book’s basic premise.

Highly, highly recommended. Read for the Cybils Round 1 Panel.

Pinned by Sharon G. Flake. Scholastic: 2012. Library copy.

[Christy Rosso · Rating 2 out of 5]

Christy Rosso
Genre: Contemporary Realistic Fiction
Flake, S. (2012). Pinned. New York: Listening Library.
Format: Audiobook
Selection process: NoveList
http://web.ebscohost.com

Ninth-grade students Autumn and Adonis have disabilities and high achievement in common. Autumn has learning disabilities and struggles with reading, while Adonis, who was born without legs, is confined to a wheelchair. Yet each has achieved excellence. Autumn is an accomplished female wrestler on an all-boys’ team. Adonis is a superior student. Flake uses them as narrators in alternate chapters.
Autumn’s parents, concerned with her spiraling grades, have tried a family reading plan, and extra help at school before forcing her to quit the wrestling team. She must improve in reading and math through practice and tutoring. However, Autumn spends much of her time angrily tossing books away and not attending tutoring sessions. Instead, Autumn pursues Adonis, the wrestling team captain, ignoring or not understanding his hurtful, often cruel rebukes. Adonis is concerned with academics, perfection, his self-image, and his interest in intelligent, beautiful students, although he is friendless.
Readers may find it difficult to understand the relationship between Autumn and Adonis. Also, it remains a hidden relationship, perhaps indicating his continued shame and discomfort with Autumn. There are unrealized aspects of the story, including a childhood near-drowning incident, and the life and team relationships of a young, female wrestler. Although one teacher tutors Autumn, students with learning disabilities seemingly receive little specialized help in the school. The math teacher is depicted loudly berating Autumn and a cluster of students with failing grades (Pinned, 2012). On a positive note, narrators Bahni Tuapin and Dominic Hoffman effectively bring Autumn and Adonis to life.
Not recommend.
References
Flake, S. (2012). Pinned. New York: Listening Library.

[Sally Kruger]

In PINNED two incredibly competitive people headed in totally different directions find themselves meeting in the middle.

Autumn is the lone girl on her high school wrestling team. She is very good and has a chance to go all the way to the state competition. Autumn's strength may be wrestling, but her weakness is school. Her parents are suddenly concerned about her dropping grades in math and her below average reading level. They have pulled her from the team until she brings up her grades.

Adonis excels as a student and fulfills a leadership role in the school and community. Confined to a wheelchair because a birth defect left him with no legs, he is driven by personal pride and a determination to succeed despite his disability. Adonis is annoyed by people like Autumn who are loud and draw attention to themselves. He is extremely irritated when Autumn professes her love and vows to make him her boyfriend.

The two teens live their lives moving in two totally different circles at school, but it seems that their lives are destined to intertwine. The more they find themselves thrown together, the more they begin to change. Will Autumn be able to develop the relationship with Adonis as she hopes? Will Adonis begin to understand and appreciate what motivates someone like Autumn?

Veteran author Sharon G. Flake once again hits it out of the park with her latest middle grade selection. Flake's characters ring true and offer personalities and situations that speak to many young teens. It is also refreshing to read a book with a wrestling backdrop instead of the usual football/basketball fare.

[Reving · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. I love Sharon Flake, not just because she is from Pittsburgh, like me, but that is cool, but because she is just such an excellent writer. I couldn't wait to read Pinned and I was not disappointed. What a wonderful, inspiring, at times, heart-breaking novel.

Autumn and Adonis are very different, but alike in many ways. They both have a disability to live with: Adonis was born without legs and Autumn has extreme difficulty with reading and math. Autumn is in love with Adonis, but Adonis is stoic, a brave face, not needing anyone or anything but himself. The thing is, they both need each other. Autumn is a wrestler and a darn good one and so high school wrestling plays a big and important, interesting role in the book as well. I recall watching a female wrestler at Hampton many years ago and can't imagine the strength it takes to be a wrestler, let alone a female one.

The main characters are so real, it reads like a real diary. The secondary characters are interesting and important. There's a lot going on in this little book.

Fantastic book. Will recommend to all and purchase for our library. Can't wait until it is released so that I can book talk it.

[Marisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the idea behind this story and even some of the moments in the story where kids with disabilities come together and create clubs and play games and what not. However, I didn’t care much for the book overall. I found that the story bounced around quite a bit, even within a chapter. Each chapter is narrated by one of the two main characters, Autumn or Adonis and at one second you believe they hate each other and the next second their stance has completely changed.
Maybe this is written the way a 14 year old thinks, but I struggled quite a bit in figuring out what was going on, what was a fantasy or thought and what was actually happening. The back of the book makes implications which never happen although they are talked about.
I would recommend this book to someone with a higher reading level then their grade or maybe a classroom where discussions about the characters, the chapters, the crisis etc, can all be dissected from several different points of view. This book would also be a good book for a student to do a book report on because of the message it sends.

[Medeia Sharif · Rating 4 out of 5]

Adonis is in a wheelchair because he was born without legs. Extraordinarily confident and bright, he works hard and has big dreams. With his aspirations, he wants the best for himself. The best doesn’t include a girl named Autumn.

Autumn is gifted in wrestling. She’s a champion in that field, able to win against boys and maintain a strong physique, but she has a weakness. She can’t read well and struggles with her grades as a result. Also, she pines for Adonis, who doesn’t want her. He’s aware she has a crush on him, but she doesn’t match his high standards. As circumstances draw them closer, they see qualities in each other they didn’t notice before.

This was an interesting look into two people with differing disabilities. Autumn and Adonis don’t have much in common, yet the romantic chemistry is still there, even though he adamantly rejects her at first. The book was short and I felt that some areas could have been fleshed out more, but it was an enjoyable novel and I’d like to read more from this author. I received the galley from NetGalley, courtesy of the publisher.

[Kali Burks-Mosier · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another solid middle grade read! I loved that the characters are flawed and learning, and not everything ends on a perfect note. I appreciated Flake's attention to the voices of her characters and adding their personalities to their chapters. The side plots got a little muddled. It seemed like everyone had their own story and each chapter gave us pieces of them while trying to keep the main story on Autumn and Adonis. Overall I enjoyed the book in one day!

[Madyson Barnard]

Autumn and Adonis are total opposites and they do say opposites attract but Adonis doesn't seem to believe in that he acts like he hates her and says she is the most annoying person in the world but why is he having dreams about her sitting with him and cuddling with him and kissing him. He is confused and when Autumn gets kicked off the wrestling team it is the first time he has ever seen her sad she seems to ignore everyone even Adonis who she said she loved. What happens in this book is heart waring and sweet and a true high school love story.

[Cecily Black · Rating 4 out of 5]

Was not sure what to expect as I judged this book completely by its cover but it had a really eye opening story inside and a book that is great for others who could be struggling with similar issues.
Great story!

[Ms. Hull · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was just okay. I don't have much to say on this one.

[Monique · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kinda boring plot wise, but it was kinda funny.
I wonder what the first 'Flipped' like book plot was...

[Melody · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disabled black kids in love. I don't think I have ever read anything like this and UGH I wish it were better! There are good aspects but there are so many bad parts I would smile at one chapter and cringe through the next. A true mixed reaction.

To be brief: This is a messed up love story. If you switched the genders it wouldn't be a cute YA book, it would be a cautionary tale about stalking and sexual harrassment. It's hard to give this book a bad review though because if you take out the love story, it is stellar.

Our leading lady was a gem. A star. A cinnamon roll. Our leading guy was an asshole. Like, a total jerk. And they get together at the end and I'm still just like WHY??? Their portrayals felt honest but simultaneously fucked up. My love and hate for this revolves around the main characters.

Autumn was wonderful, until Adonis comes into a scene and she begins to behave like a desperate girl. Her crush is unrequited and that was not handled well AT ALL by the author. It's either played as lighthearted fluff or stereotypical teenage angst. We're well beyond the 50% mark when Autumn begins to understand the seriousness of trying to force a romance onto Adonis. Her desperation was waved away in the writing as her simply being lovesick, but there's a world of difference between "shooting your shot" and nonstop pursuit of someone who is not interested and told you so. It made me so uncomfortable.

Autumn was a delight to read otherwise: an original character, a real teen, a believable portrayal of a struggling student. All the wrestling stuff was an A+. I just wish she didn't spend half the book violating Adonis' consent and steamrolling his boundaries to advance the plot. That made it so hard to root for her and Autumn is extremely sympathetic and likeable already. The one character you can't help but cheer for.

To pair her with Adonis was not good. They do not play off each other well in the plot. The way Adonis reacts (with anger) to Autumn repeatedly violating his consent is the way any normal person whose boundaries are being violated on a daily basis would react. With that being said, he crosses the line several times by calling her names and insulting her, all in desperate attempts to make her stop stalking him, and yet that doesn't make it okay.

Adonis is a jerk. Weird and arrogant from the jump. Insufferable is a word I came back to over and over again. The superiority, respectability politics, and conceit oozes from his POV chapters. I did like that the book made it clear that he's a jerk because of his personality and it has nothing to do with his disability. His insecurities about being disabled are slowly laid out on the page. It all made sense, but again: did not justify his behavior. What I didn't get was his vehement dislike of Autumn shifting fairly quickly into liking Autumn. He hates her for more than half of the book. The happy ending felt abrupt and fake.

YA romances with love interests that aren't sweet to each other baffle me. And are, honestly, bad for teens. Especially black teens.

I won't get into how accurate the disability rep was because that's not my lane. I will say that the author handles the issue of illiteracy SO WELL. We see class and poverty brought into the discussion too and it was enjoyable to read. I'm always here for regular folks with regular jobs and regular lives. Autumn's academic story would've been great to have front and center instead of her and Adonis. The side-plots are interesting but not as novel and intriguing as Autumn learning how to read on grade level. It's the ultimate underdog story.

But, unfortunately, Pinned is another example out of hundreds, of a YA book that should have left the love story out.

[Zandra · Rating 2 out of 5]

This has to be my least favorite of Flake's books. I just couldn't connect with it. It has a good premise, and, at its core, a positive message, but there were also a lot of things that jsut didn't seem plausible, thus earning my 2 stars.



My random thoughts....

- Adonis garnered so empathy from me. He came across as a pompous jerk.
- Autumn appears to be this strong and confident girl who is a gifted wrestler. She is popular and loved and respectd by all. However, when it comes to Adonis she is weak and insecure.
- When Adonis and Autumn become cool with each other he still doesn't want anyone to see them interact. They hide their "relationshiop" and she is okay with that.
- Adonis and Peaches being cousins storyline made little sense to me.
- On one had I had to respect Autumn parents for trying to force her to learn how to read. But they frustrated me because there really was no follow throught. One day they will all read together ever day, but that doesn't last. As for school, they never sought out teachers or extra help for Autumn. In my opinion they never truly helped her. I though that taking wrestling away was cruel, since it was the only thing she had that she felt she was good at. If they provided help for her and she didn't try, then I would have supported their decision to make her quit the team.
-

[Bayla · Rating 3 out of 5]

*2.5 stars*
This is my first Sharon Flake novel, and I really appreciated her voices - that her two POV characters were very distinct and different, and you could hear immediately who was speaking. I liked that Adonis, the one missing his legs, was not treated differently or looked down on or ignored for his disability, but was instead praised for his brains, his drive and work ethic, and that his 'disability,' the thing that really held him back, was actually his arrogance rather than any physical differences. I thought Autumn was too good for him for most of the book, actually, because of his arrogance, and, like her friends, did not see what she saw in him. Though she did kind of stalk him, which was weird.If she had been the boy, I could definitely have seen charges of harassment in her behavior. I really liked how Autumn's trouble was reading was handled as well - it was nice to see that all her teachers and her parents were trying so hard to help, but that her own mental block was holding her back (and some past events). I was rooting for her the whole time, and was so proud when she decided to put as much 'intention' into reading and math as she did into wrestling. I liked this book less than I could have, I think, because I never really liked Adonis and didn't understand Autumn's pursuit of him, but I did love her character and her values.

[Samantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Autumn loves three things: wrestling, cooking, and Adonis Miller. She is an excellent wrestler and has many wins under her belt. Her cooking is divine. Adonis is a sticking point. Adonis is handsome, brilliant, well-mannered, well-dressed, well-read, and absolutely not interested in Autumn. Autumn practically stalks him through ninth grade, always speaking her mind, asking personal questions about his disability and how it feels to live without legs. She keeps telling him she loves him, follows him, waits for him before and after classes, and texts him endlessly about everything from wrestling to seeking help with her reading. This is one of Adonis's many problems with Autumn. She can't read well, she is a D student, and while she reigns on the wrestling mat, she barely keeps her head above water in class. He can't love a girl like that. Can he? A quick read that gives insight into what it is like to be the one who is different. A female wrestler on an all male team. A wrestling assistant born without legs. A struggling reader barely passing her grade. A young man who must come to terms with the fact he really has no friends. Told in Autumn's and Adonis's alternating voices with brief chapters perfect for quick reading.

[Ms. Bernards · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a book that leaves me torn in so many ways.

I want to tear out about half the book and I want to frame the other half for the beauty of it. Autumn's inner-strength and strong personality carried me through the book, while I agonizingly moved through the story told through Adonis' perspective.

As a reader, I felt like I was on the wrestling mat as Autumn often described in the story - facing an opponent on the mat while circling around in anticipation of the first move. As a reader, I kept waiting for Adonis' story to make a move - do something that would make me like him (or just tolerate him)as a character.

Autumn kept making moves, and Adonis kept stagnating. I was connecting with Autumn and cheering her on as she found her way and developed as a character/person. Adonis was flat and stayed mostly flat throughout the book.

Autumn's struggles with reading and the relationship that she has with her parents, teachers, and friends is done beautifully by Sharon Flake - it is a story that I want to share with other struggling readers and those working with strugging readers - Adonis was just filling up space on the page and it just did not inspire empathy (mostly frustration).

[Britt · Rating 4 out of 5]

This reminded me of an more mature, more diversified, PC version of the book Flipped (but without the funny charm). I seem to be a real sucker for these "he said, she said" type books where the chapters alternate between the male and female perspectives. I really liked the characters and I think that this is a story that will appeal to so many teens as it deals with relate-able issues like dealing with self-acceptance and believing in yourself while at the same time actually making yourself do the work to make your goals attainable, work is that not always fun sometimes soul-crushing. I loved that Autumn was a girl wrestler that was infatuated with a brilliant boy in a wheelchair. I loved that she was so secure in herself as an athlete and chef and yet at the same time really struggled to embrace that she could be smart too. I loved that she learned her lessons the hard way, but she eventually learned them and on her own terms.
The only thing that took back a star is that sometimes I was taken out of the story by the writing, which was good, but I guess I'm not feeling too generous today...

[Harry Brake · Rating 4 out of 5]

This text reminded me of a book ages ago, called Criss Cross, where different points of view literally criss cross. I have to admit, I had a hard time getting into this book in the beginning. Maybe because I am older, but I did not like the forced feeling that Autumn had of incomplete tense and it just seemed unnatural in the plot, hard to take in as being fluent with the overall story.

Yet, somewhere, it clicked. Autumn's plight was easy to connect with, Adonis' impeccable expectations of all around him despite his own flaws, and the pressure of peers and their voices made a more personal appearance. The very aspects of the story I felt were impersonal became a close friend and had me pushing hard towards the end. I could picture home in Pittsburgh just with the knowledge that Sharon Flake was from Pittsburgh, as I read this on the back sleeve, aspects of the setting jumped out at me, and I became more closely connected to this plight of the fear of defeat, only to have it turn into a victory. Kudos to Sharon Flake for encouraging others to stick through things, despite a fear, uncertainty, or lack of confidence. it seems to always appear as her story unfolds this moral.

[Lola Karns · Rating 4 out of 5]

I heard a lot buzz about this book when it first came out. The concept is strikingly different than the paranormal light edge so many YA books have. The heroine, Autumn, is a wrestler, but in her mind, sexism is not the key struggle she faces. She wants the hero, the smartest boy in school who also happens to help with the wrestling team and is wheelchair bound, to notice her. Flake alternates between Autumn and Apollo's points of view, so we see how Apollo admires her physical strength, but devalues her as a person because she is a poor student. In Autumn's chapters, we see how she is intelligent and kind, but struggles with reading. Both characters have a strong story arc and are relatable.

I nearly set the book aside after the first chapter, set in Autumn's point of view, because it was written in choppy English. The next chapter came from Apollo's perspective and showed me Flake's writing skills. I mention this because like the book Push by Sapphire (which became the movie Precious) the use of language tells part of the story.

This is a terrific book to share with teens who are struggling academically, physically or emotionally.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have mixed feelings about this book. I like the idea of the story, and I like the characters. But I found the fact that Autumn's point of view was written in colloquial distracting. I had to re-read some of her sentences so I could figure out what she was saying. I also found Adonis both lovable and annoying all at once. I hated how mean he was to Autumn, but at the same time, I remember a lot of people acting that way in high school so it's very realistic. Another thing that bothered me about Adonis is that he didn't want any one to know of his developing feeling or relationship with Autumn, or even to be seen with her outside of wrestling- and it didn't bother Autumn. I don't like the message that could possibly give to young girls. I feel like this is a good book to encourage readers who aren't strong readers to pick up since one of the main characters struggles with it, but at the end finally decides that she can, and will, overcome her issues.

I give this 3 out of 5 stars because of the fact I found the colloquial parts distracting and that I didn't really have any issues putting the book down when I had to make dinner or take care of the dog.

[Nicole D · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pinned by Sharon G. Flake is a great book about two best friends that have many things in common but don’t have many things in common at the same time. The two main characters are Adonis who is very shy and loves to read and Autumn with is very outgoing, has lot of friends and is the schools best wrestler. They both are handicap, but in two different ways. Adonis is in a wheelchair because he has no legs and Autumn who has a learning disability. Adonis can’t do much movement but him and Autumn are forced to show off their weaknesses and help each other. As the book goes on they learn that their weaknesses can benefit someone else in a good way. I enjoyed this book and it had many good friendship lessons. The lesson from this book that I learned the most to follow is everyone is different and you can help others by doing big and little things. I recommend this book to people who want to read a different style realistic fiction book.

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Autumn is a great wrestler with academic difficulties; Adonis is an extremely bright student in a wheelchair. They each have their own challenges to overcome,including biases and negative thinking. Adonis can't figure out why Autumn can't take the hint and leave him alone. And Autumn can't figure out why everything school-related is so easy for everyone else, but not for her. There are lessons to be learned on both sides of the story: the damage of negative self talk and the blindness of stereotypical thinking. Added to the mix is the secret connection, of which Autumn is unaware, between Autumn's best friend Peaches and Adonis. Not only do they share a connection, but they share a near fatal event in their lives which haunts them both in different ways. There is plenty here for students to relate to: unrequited crushes, pressure from parents to excel, well-meaning teachers acting inexplicably and the drama that is middle school.

[Sharon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Liked many things about this audiobook: Bahni Turpin's excellent voicing of Autumn; her ability to not only accurately reflect Autumn's class and ethnicity, but also to capture Autumn's struggle to make positive choices off the wrestling mat. Dominic Hoffman does an equally good job with pacing and inflection to allow listeners to hear and understand Adonis's arrogance and lack of empathy.

Narration aside, there were some things about the story that didn't connect. If Autumn struggled so much with reading, why didn't she have more trouble with dictionary definitions? How could she read words like "overwhelmed" when her friend Peaches was being embarrassed by her mother's loud visit to math class? Spoiler: Was it necessary to have the family relationship between Peaches and Adonis? What did it do to further any understanding of the characters? And the ending, while satisfying, was too facile.

[Mackenzie Bush · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pinned by Sharon G. Flake. Autumn is a out going girl. She has lots of friends! Adonis is shy. And not eager to connect with people. Autumn always try's to help Adonis. When if he is getting off the handicap bus. Adonis does not want her to help him with anything. He does not like her and does not need her help. Autumn is trying to help Adonis get on the bus. In the middle of the school year. Autumn and Adonis became boy friend and girl friend. They became in love, and love each other. Autumn kissed Adonis! He said the her lips are as warm as July at high moon. Autumn thinks that she hears Adonis saying " I love you Autumn knight. "
I real like this book! It tells a real life story. Yes, I did! I felt really happy! I would cause for the handicap kids. And how people still love them! Incan cause of my diabetes. I thought no one would like me. Cause of what my life has changed. I real love this book!