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Stuck
Cassidy Killed Her Best Friend - Then She Blamed Her Mom
What would you do if everything you thought you knew, turned out to be false? Sure, the intentions were good, but the facts were 100% wrong.
Cassidy and Angie were best friends. They were excited about their junior year in high school. Angie was a championship runner and almost certain to win a scholarship to a great university. Cassidy was a good runner, and would probably go to school close to home. But this year, they were just excited to be going to parties and hanging out with their friends.
Everything was great - until it wasn't. Angie was diagnosed with leukemia. Cassidy, being the good friend she was, vowed to be by her side for every treatment until she was cured. Except Cassidy's mom had never had her vaccinated for childhood illnesses, and she began feeling a little under the weather...That tickle in her throat was the harbinger of a tragedy that Cassidy never expects and causes her to question everything she was taught was the truth.
Edgy and courageous, STUCK will have you in tears one moment and rooting for the brave young women the next. Keep your mind and your heart open – you may need to think in ways you’re not used to. But you’ll be sure to encourage our young protagonists as they meet sadness and heartbreak with dignity and grace.
Fans of John Green will love STUCK!
What would you do if everything you thought you knew, turned out to be false? Sure, the intentions were good, but the facts were 100% wrong.
Cassidy and Angie were best friends. They were excited about their junior year in high school. Angie was a championship runner and almost certain to win a scholarship to a great university. Cassidy was a good runner, and would probably go to school close to home. But this year, they were just excited to be going to parties and hanging out with their friends.
Everything was great - until it wasn't. Angie was diagnosed with leukemia. Cassidy, being the good friend she was, vowed to be by her side for every treatment until she was cured. Except Cassidy's mom had never had her vaccinated for childhood illnesses, and she began feeling a little under the weather...That tickle in her throat was the harbinger of a tragedy that Cassidy never expects and causes her to question everything she was taught was the truth.
Edgy and courageous, STUCK will have you in tears one moment and rooting for the brave young women the next. Keep your mind and your heart open – you may need to think in ways you’re not used to. But you’ll be sure to encourage our young protagonists as they meet sadness and heartbreak with dignity and grace.
Fans of John Green will love STUCK!
197 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 18, 2020
3 people are currently reading
22 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
July 18, 2022
This book was endlessly frustrating. When I first read the synopsis, I was immediately intrigued--Cassidy's best friend Angie is diagnosed with leukemia, and Cassidy would do anything to be there for her. But Cassidy isn't vaccinated, due to her mother's beliefs, and when Cassidy gets sick and passes it to Angie, Angie passes away and Cassidy is left to question everything she knows.
Unfortunately, the book fell apart right away for me. First, the writing was all telling and no showing--we got almost no descriptions about the characters, what they were feeling, what they were seeing, anything. Instead, everything was blatantly told to you--every thought in Cassidy's head, whether it was relevant to the story or not, and it pulled me out of this story constantly.
Cassidy as a main character was completely clueless, which I found very frustrating. Her voice was written much younger and much more immature than the 16-year-old she was supposed to be. She sounded much more like a 12-year-old, or possibly even younger. She was constantly asking very simple questions, acting confused when she had no need to be, etc.
Now, you by no means have to be 16 to write a 16-year-old character, but it's important to be aware of slang and how teenagers talk. For example, Cassidy referred to her best friend's dad as the mother's "hubby." No 16-year-old would ever, ever say that. That moment pulled me out of the story completely and had me researching the author, since I knew in that moment that this story was written by someone older.
Unfortunately, another pet peeve of mine is overusing exclamation points, and in the first few pages alone, almost every single line of dialogue, and several lines of description, ended in exclamation points, which is something else that pulled me out of the story.
Dialogue is an incredibly important story element to me--I'm always on the lookout for good dialogue that feels natural and advances the story. It's difficult to do good dialogue well, and this story didn't pass that test either. With good dialogue, characters should talk past each other, as we do every day when we're talking to the people around us. Instead, it can be a common trap for authors to have characters talk too directly to each other, falling into a rhythm of [insert direct question that isn't a question the character would genuinely ask, it's just being used to directly tell the reader information], [a stiff, strictly informational answer that also isn't natural], rinse, repeat. It was difficult to read.
And while I appreciate this story firmly advocating for the importance of vaccines, there were still many scenes, and many rounds of dialogue, coming from Cassidy's mother and her mother's friends that had some harmful misinformation, and those scenes often dragged on longer than they should've. There's a fine line with serious topics like this between discussing the topic and further articulating harmful information about it, and I think that line was crossed here.
In addition, I'm no medical professional, but almost everything medically-related in this book was completely incorrect. First of all, Angie is diagnosed with leukemia at an urgent care after ONE blood test, without her parents around. As a 16-year-old. she's immediately rushed to the hospital, admitted, and is there for the remaining two months of her life, unallowed to leave. That would never happen--they claim it's for her safety and health, but hospitals are some of the germiest and least healthy places for immunocompromised people to be. Everything about Angie's care was either completely unrealistic or, when it came to her specific treatments, was overexplained in excruciating and unnecessary detail.
And if that all wasn't enough, there were racial microaggressions in this story as well. Cassidy is white, but Angie is a person of color. In one flashback chapter, Cassidy and Angie are working in Angie's backyard, doing some gardening, and it's written explicitly that Cassidy got sunburnt because she's white and Angie didn't because she isn't white. And it isn't a one-time issue--it's written that this is a consistent pattern that happens when the two of them spend time outside. It's a racial stereotype that people of color don't sunburn just because they don't have white skin, and it was frustrating to see that perpetuated in this story as well.
To be honest, under normal circumstances, I would've DNFed this book, and I did consider it many times, but I thought it was important to review this book in its entirety since there are so few reviews for this book.
Unfortunately, I cannot and do not recommend reading this book.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of Stuck in exchange for an honest review.
Unfortunately, the book fell apart right away for me. First, the writing was all telling and no showing--we got almost no descriptions about the characters, what they were feeling, what they were seeing, anything. Instead, everything was blatantly told to you--every thought in Cassidy's head, whether it was relevant to the story or not, and it pulled me out of this story constantly.
Cassidy as a main character was completely clueless, which I found very frustrating. Her voice was written much younger and much more immature than the 16-year-old she was supposed to be. She sounded much more like a 12-year-old, or possibly even younger. She was constantly asking very simple questions, acting confused when she had no need to be, etc.
Now, you by no means have to be 16 to write a 16-year-old character, but it's important to be aware of slang and how teenagers talk. For example, Cassidy referred to her best friend's dad as the mother's "hubby." No 16-year-old would ever, ever say that. That moment pulled me out of the story completely and had me researching the author, since I knew in that moment that this story was written by someone older.
Unfortunately, another pet peeve of mine is overusing exclamation points, and in the first few pages alone, almost every single line of dialogue, and several lines of description, ended in exclamation points, which is something else that pulled me out of the story.
Dialogue is an incredibly important story element to me--I'm always on the lookout for good dialogue that feels natural and advances the story. It's difficult to do good dialogue well, and this story didn't pass that test either. With good dialogue, characters should talk past each other, as we do every day when we're talking to the people around us. Instead, it can be a common trap for authors to have characters talk too directly to each other, falling into a rhythm of [insert direct question that isn't a question the character would genuinely ask, it's just being used to directly tell the reader information], [a stiff, strictly informational answer that also isn't natural], rinse, repeat. It was difficult to read.
And while I appreciate this story firmly advocating for the importance of vaccines, there were still many scenes, and many rounds of dialogue, coming from Cassidy's mother and her mother's friends that had some harmful misinformation, and those scenes often dragged on longer than they should've. There's a fine line with serious topics like this between discussing the topic and further articulating harmful information about it, and I think that line was crossed here.
In addition, I'm no medical professional, but almost everything medically-related in this book was completely incorrect. First of all, Angie is diagnosed with leukemia at an urgent care after ONE blood test, without her parents around. As a 16-year-old. she's immediately rushed to the hospital, admitted, and is there for the remaining two months of her life, unallowed to leave. That would never happen--they claim it's for her safety and health, but hospitals are some of the germiest and least healthy places for immunocompromised people to be. Everything about Angie's care was either completely unrealistic or, when it came to her specific treatments, was overexplained in excruciating and unnecessary detail.
And if that all wasn't enough, there were racial microaggressions in this story as well. Cassidy is white, but Angie is a person of color. In one flashback chapter, Cassidy and Angie are working in Angie's backyard, doing some gardening, and it's written explicitly that Cassidy got sunburnt because she's white and Angie didn't because she isn't white. And it isn't a one-time issue--it's written that this is a consistent pattern that happens when the two of them spend time outside. It's a racial stereotype that people of color don't sunburn just because they don't have white skin, and it was frustrating to see that perpetuated in this story as well.
To be honest, under normal circumstances, I would've DNFed this book, and I did consider it many times, but I thought it was important to review this book in its entirety since there are so few reviews for this book.
Unfortunately, I cannot and do not recommend reading this book.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of Stuck in exchange for an honest review.
December 21, 2022
I really liked this book but it was very emotional.
October 1, 2021
This was such a good read. I gobbled it up fast, reading all at once, and really loving the twists and turns the book took. I am glad that I knew from the beginning that the best friend would die--after all, it's in the book description. It was what happened afterwards that was perhaps the most intriguing. I like how the author had so many good guys in her story--both divorced parents, the friends, the doctors, and a favorite teacher. The protagonist made her own decisions and put something on the line, then had support to stick by her decision in spite of the price she pays. The ethics of the book are interesting. I highly recommend it. It's funny, too.
October 4, 2021
Quick and emotional read
Cassidy has to watch as her best friend undergoes cancer treatment. This story deals with grief, helplessness, and the impact of vaccinations. After watching a family member to through treatment, this book really resonated with me.
Cassidy has to watch as her best friend undergoes cancer treatment. This story deals with grief, helplessness, and the impact of vaccinations. After watching a family member to through treatment, this book really resonated with me.
August 3, 2022
Thank you to the publisher for sending me a e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. My overall rating of this book is 3/5 stars. This review will contain spoilers.
As a healthcare professional that works within children’s hospitals, I really enjoyed the discussions surrounding childhood vaccinations and why people choose to give these to children and why they don’t. This discussion is very important for teenagers and young people to witness to help protect themselves and the vulnerable people around them, and I enjoyed this aspect of the book.
One qualm that I had with this book was that the first line of the synopsis for this book detailed that the main character killed her best friend through being ill. This didn’t occur until 64% into the book which I personally feel is too late for this to be included within the synopsis. If this wasn’t in the synopsis, it could have added an extra element of surprise and emotional vulnerability from the main character as she comes to terms with the facts that it is her doing that her best friend died.
Overall, this is a good young adult novel that has great representations of real world issues in an easily accessible format for teenagers and young adults to consume. The talks of terminal illness (cancer) and grief were also strong aspects within this book.
I am looking forward to reading more from Diane Windsor and seeing what they do next.
As a healthcare professional that works within children’s hospitals, I really enjoyed the discussions surrounding childhood vaccinations and why people choose to give these to children and why they don’t. This discussion is very important for teenagers and young people to witness to help protect themselves and the vulnerable people around them, and I enjoyed this aspect of the book.
One qualm that I had with this book was that the first line of the synopsis for this book detailed that the main character killed her best friend through being ill. This didn’t occur until 64% into the book which I personally feel is too late for this to be included within the synopsis. If this wasn’t in the synopsis, it could have added an extra element of surprise and emotional vulnerability from the main character as she comes to terms with the facts that it is her doing that her best friend died.
Overall, this is a good young adult novel that has great representations of real world issues in an easily accessible format for teenagers and young adults to consume. The talks of terminal illness (cancer) and grief were also strong aspects within this book.
I am looking forward to reading more from Diane Windsor and seeing what they do next.
July 13, 2022
Cassidy has never been vaccinated. Her mom is against it. With the exception of getting chicken pox in 2nd grade, it really hasn't affected Cassidy's life much. Until now.
This is an important book, especially now, where COVID policy has swung away from the need for vaccination and other mitigation to protect others, not just yourself. Like Cassidy's mother, many believe the effects of the vaccines aren't worth the risk. One of the biggest areas of anxiety for my students was the fear rgar they could get COVID, not know it, and end up making someone else sick. They wanted to be vaccinated, not for themselves, but for others.
And as in this book, sometimes, that has dire effects. I appreciated that the book focuses not in Alexandria's death, but on Cassidy's response and how this event affects her future,
I ticked the box that I wouldn't adopt this book because, sadly, doing so in my setting would likely lead to negative results. We have had parents protesting to get a mask mandate lifted, and a vax mandate is a non-starter. I do feel this book belongs in libraries and plan to purchase it for my little free library, because it needs to be there and be read. But I'm guessing a lot of the schools in areas that need this book the most will have the same difficulties in adopting it as part of a reading list.
This is an important book, especially now, where COVID policy has swung away from the need for vaccination and other mitigation to protect others, not just yourself. Like Cassidy's mother, many believe the effects of the vaccines aren't worth the risk. One of the biggest areas of anxiety for my students was the fear rgar they could get COVID, not know it, and end up making someone else sick. They wanted to be vaccinated, not for themselves, but for others.
And as in this book, sometimes, that has dire effects. I appreciated that the book focuses not in Alexandria's death, but on Cassidy's response and how this event affects her future,
I ticked the box that I wouldn't adopt this book because, sadly, doing so in my setting would likely lead to negative results. We have had parents protesting to get a mask mandate lifted, and a vax mandate is a non-starter. I do feel this book belongs in libraries and plan to purchase it for my little free library, because it needs to be there and be read. But I'm guessing a lot of the schools in areas that need this book the most will have the same difficulties in adopting it as part of a reading list.
June 2, 2023
This was a great little story. Succinct. Different from the normal run of YA subject matters. Emotional, but not too traumatising for the reader! It was a teeny bit on the preachy educational side of the scales, but on the other hand, if you want to start a discussion either about anti-vax sentiment, or about how to support young people and their families facing a cancer diagnosis, then this would be a good starting point. The author even puts some suggested discussion questions at the end. Relationships with all are resolved by the end of the book and there is a positive vibe throughout. Unfortunately, I don’t think a real anti-vaxxer would have stopped fighting in such an easy way at the end. As a person who has had to cut all contact with three close members of my family due to their anti-vax stance and conspiracy theory beliefs, believe me, there’s a twisty-turny Alice-in-Wonderland answer out there on the internet for everything, and they just won’t let go.
But this is a nice positive story about a couple of difficult topics and stays cheerful without pulling any punches.
But this is a nice positive story about a couple of difficult topics and stays cheerful without pulling any punches.
January 18, 2023
I came across the book and was intrigued from the cover and description. I liked the description which prompted me to select this book.
The premise of the story was a good one, in my opinion, but I felt some parts of the story could have been written better.
For example, I found it odd how a teen girl would get diagnosed with leukemia only after one blood test. I didn’t find it realistic. Another part, that I didn’t find realistic was how the teens in the book talked. Sometimes it seems they were preteens and other times much older than their quoted age of 16.
Overall, I did enjoy the plot of the book and even though some of the events in the book were not entirely accurate (leukemia after one blood test and sent to hospital without parent) I would give this author another chance in the future.
The premise of the story was a good one, in my opinion, but I felt some parts of the story could have been written better.
For example, I found it odd how a teen girl would get diagnosed with leukemia only after one blood test. I didn’t find it realistic. Another part, that I didn’t find realistic was how the teens in the book talked. Sometimes it seems they were preteens and other times much older than their quoted age of 16.
Overall, I did enjoy the plot of the book and even though some of the events in the book were not entirely accurate (leukemia after one blood test and sent to hospital without parent) I would give this author another chance in the future.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 29, 2022
This was a very interesting book and would be great for a group discussion. I can think of three or four different ethical topics that the book talked about that would lead to a lively discussion.
There were so many large topics that were touched that at times I wished the book would stay with that topic and not go on to another, These could have been separate books that were in a series and given more depth to the topic.
However, the author did do an incredible job weaving the topics together into an engaging book. It is worth your time to read.
There were so many large topics that were touched that at times I wished the book would stay with that topic and not go on to another, These could have been separate books that were in a series and given more depth to the topic.
However, the author did do an incredible job weaving the topics together into an engaging book. It is worth your time to read.
July 17, 2022
An edgy contemporary book that I really enjoyed reading. It is an important book to read with a great message as there are many people in society who for one reson or another choose not to be vaccinated or get their children vaccinated and of course there are consequences and risks with this approach, as this book shows.
A really interestig read.
A really interestig read.
June 7, 2022
What a great book! With so many opinions about vaccinating our children these days, this story takes you through one families struggle. It also deals with what can happen to unvaccinated kids.
It's a heart warming book that lets you decide your own opinion.
It's a heart warming book that lets you decide your own opinion.
July 10, 2022
This ARC was provided to me via Kindle, from Motina Books Publishing and #NetGalley. Thank you for the opportunity to preview and review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.
Edgy, captivating with a message that's perfect for these times.
Edgy, captivating with a message that's perfect for these times.
September 15, 2022
A great book, thoughtful and well-written with great characters. Timely and on-topic without preaching or vilifying.
September 9, 2023
Great book! Made me reflect on childhood cancer and it’s effects. Also had me reflecting on vaccinations. I recommend!
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews