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Twelve
Junior High can be filled with uncertainty and self-doubt. As Marley Waters finds herself waking up in life, she questions friendships, relationships, and her sexuality.Twelve is a fiction novel about finding out who we are as we come of age and learning that it’s okay to stray from the stereotypical preteen and be our own person.Girls will not only enjoy this story, but they will learn that middle school can be a time of confusion and turmoil, but it’s also a time of self-exploration and discovery.
164 pages, Paperback
Published January 20, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
May 6, 2021
BIPOC and LGBTQ rep for tweens!
This was such a cute little book! It follows twelve year old Marley, who had a relatively simple life before. She had awesome classmates and loves playing basketball with her team... But now the classes are all mixed up and she's having to mix with the 'enemies' from the other group and spend mornings without her best friend Teagan... Things look grim. But then she finds that the others really are pretty cool. And then there's the new girl Jess...
As Marley navigates the school year, she finds that she must navigate first dates, new friendships and new feelings, all of which are narrated in her bubbly, youthful voice. She is funny and relatable -- a lot of the scenarios and the way she responded to them internally really took me back! That awkward, confusing 'tween' stage was captured perfectly!
Somewhere a young person will feel heard by reading this. Lovely book.
This was such a cute little book! It follows twelve year old Marley, who had a relatively simple life before. She had awesome classmates and loves playing basketball with her team... But now the classes are all mixed up and she's having to mix with the 'enemies' from the other group and spend mornings without her best friend Teagan... Things look grim. But then she finds that the others really are pretty cool. And then there's the new girl Jess...
As Marley navigates the school year, she finds that she must navigate first dates, new friendships and new feelings, all of which are narrated in her bubbly, youthful voice. She is funny and relatable -- a lot of the scenarios and the way she responded to them internally really took me back! That awkward, confusing 'tween' stage was captured perfectly!
Somewhere a young person will feel heard by reading this. Lovely book.
February 22, 2021
Middle school is hard enough without the added confusion of interpreting feelings that are outside of the norm. Marley is an athletic seventh grader who is well-liked by her classmates and does well in school. When all her girlfriends talk about boys, though, Marley finds she has other interests that are more compelling. One day, a new student named Jess drops her binder after art class and Marley helps her pick it up. Jess takes Marley’s breath away, and Marley finds herself in the middle of an internal struggle between who she is and who others expect her to be.
Marley tells her story in the first person, speaking directly to the reader. The majority of the story is told through a stream-of-conscious narrative, explaining Marley’s experiences and decisions in a conversational and enjoyable way. Interspersed within Marley’s discussion are brief text message conversations with her friends, including emojis and text speak. The addition of text messages increases readability while incorporating an important means of communication among preteens.
Moderate length chapters and colloquial language make this book well-suited to middle grade audiences, including reluctant readers. Occasional profanity appears in the text to amplify Marley’s emotions, adding intensity to the story without being overwhelming. The narration perfectly expresses Marley’s personality and her reactions to the events taking place around her. She is a relatable and likable character who steps off the page and into readers’ hearts.
Instead of being a story with a clear terminus, Twelve is a peek into a specific time in Marley’s life. Readers ride through Marley’s experiences alongside her, sharing in her enthusiasm, disappointment, jealousy, and confusion all along the way. It feels like a true slice of life with characters who are clearly defined and recognizable.
As a twelve-year-old girl, Marley’s body is changing and drama is erupting around her. Add to that the fact that she is trying to understand her feelings for another girl, and it would be overwhelming for anyone. This debut novel layers palpable middle school experiences on top of friendship and self discovery in a beautifully engaging way. Twelve is a highly recommended addition to libraries for middle grade readers.
Marley tells her story in the first person, speaking directly to the reader. The majority of the story is told through a stream-of-conscious narrative, explaining Marley’s experiences and decisions in a conversational and enjoyable way. Interspersed within Marley’s discussion are brief text message conversations with her friends, including emojis and text speak. The addition of text messages increases readability while incorporating an important means of communication among preteens.
Moderate length chapters and colloquial language make this book well-suited to middle grade audiences, including reluctant readers. Occasional profanity appears in the text to amplify Marley’s emotions, adding intensity to the story without being overwhelming. The narration perfectly expresses Marley’s personality and her reactions to the events taking place around her. She is a relatable and likable character who steps off the page and into readers’ hearts.
Instead of being a story with a clear terminus, Twelve is a peek into a specific time in Marley’s life. Readers ride through Marley’s experiences alongside her, sharing in her enthusiasm, disappointment, jealousy, and confusion all along the way. It feels like a true slice of life with characters who are clearly defined and recognizable.
As a twelve-year-old girl, Marley’s body is changing and drama is erupting around her. Add to that the fact that she is trying to understand her feelings for another girl, and it would be overwhelming for anyone. This debut novel layers palpable middle school experiences on top of friendship and self discovery in a beautifully engaging way. Twelve is a highly recommended addition to libraries for middle grade readers.
September 12, 2021
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Growing up is hard and it's even hard if you are unsure of your sexuality.
Marley is in grade 7 and 12 years old and deeply involved in sports. She lives with her mum and sister and seems to be a normal 12 yr old kid. She meets a new friend in Grade 7 named Jess and suddenly, things seem to be turned upside down.
Marley starts to 'date' a boy but she's not feeling it. She feels giddy and thrilled when talking to Jess, but not so much when talking to David. What's a girl to do? Girls like boys, right? She's a girl. She should like David. However....
As a teacher with many students questioning their sexuality, I was hoping this book would be something I could recommend to them to read if they were having questions. However, the style in which it is written and the lack of concrete answers and lack of ending makes me hesitant to recommend it to young adults.
I wanted to like this more than I did. I didn't feel this was a 12 yr old talking about their messed up feelings. The storyline and her experiences in HS felt real and honest but the rest left me a little lukewarm and by the end of the book, I really didn't care what happened to Marley.
Growing up is hard and it's even hard if you are unsure of your sexuality.
Marley is in grade 7 and 12 years old and deeply involved in sports. She lives with her mum and sister and seems to be a normal 12 yr old kid. She meets a new friend in Grade 7 named Jess and suddenly, things seem to be turned upside down.
Marley starts to 'date' a boy but she's not feeling it. She feels giddy and thrilled when talking to Jess, but not so much when talking to David. What's a girl to do? Girls like boys, right? She's a girl. She should like David. However....
As a teacher with many students questioning their sexuality, I was hoping this book would be something I could recommend to them to read if they were having questions. However, the style in which it is written and the lack of concrete answers and lack of ending makes me hesitant to recommend it to young adults.
I wanted to like this more than I did. I didn't feel this was a 12 yr old talking about their messed up feelings. The storyline and her experiences in HS felt real and honest but the rest left me a little lukewarm and by the end of the book, I really didn't care what happened to Marley.
October 8, 2021
Thank you to Book Sirens for the free review copy to read. I think my rating is more like a 3.5 but I did enjoy the story so I'm rounding up! I love this as a middle school LGBTQ+ story, a genre that's severely lacking and very needed. It was easily readable and I quickly flew through the stories of sports, friends, and emerging new feelings.
What confused me about this work is it sounds like the narrator is not just an unseen storyteller, but a real 20-something person sharing their middle school experiences. But at the same time, the story is told in the present, and not as a memory - so it's spoken in the "voice" of a 12-year-old in a time period about 10-15 years ago or so. All of the pop culture references of the time are there so it reads authentic and fun in that regard, but it's a bit jarring as a representation of an actual tween's voice if that makes sense?
I was also a bit caught off guard that the book abruptly ends as the story is still going on, until I realized this is part of a series. (Though I do think there should still be a "conclusion" more than a chapter end to signal there's more eventually!) I look forward to reading more from this author and the series!
What confused me about this work is it sounds like the narrator is not just an unseen storyteller, but a real 20-something person sharing their middle school experiences. But at the same time, the story is told in the present, and not as a memory - so it's spoken in the "voice" of a 12-year-old in a time period about 10-15 years ago or so. All of the pop culture references of the time are there so it reads authentic and fun in that regard, but it's a bit jarring as a representation of an actual tween's voice if that makes sense?
I was also a bit caught off guard that the book abruptly ends as the story is still going on, until I realized this is part of a series. (Though I do think there should still be a "conclusion" more than a chapter end to signal there's more eventually!) I look forward to reading more from this author and the series!
August 13, 2021
Over the past year I have really tried to incorporate both middle grade and LBGTQ reads into the mix.
This book had good potential.
Sadly, this book wasn't for me.
I understand that the book is written (or appears to be) as an older person (early 20's) looking back to when they were twelve and that is how it read to me.
I didn't feel as though I was reading the thoughts and feelings of twelve year old, I felt I was reading the thoughts and feelings of an adult trying to sound twelve. Unfortunately that is not what I was looking for. I just didn't see twelve year olds speaking this way.
Part of the above issue was I also feel this read as a bullet journal rather than a narrative...I sat next to Jess, we did not talk, text me Jess, Jess did not text me.
Although this book wasn't for me, I am very happy that it was written is available for others to read. We need more books that both reflect our word and could be an eye opener for a young person trying to figure things out. For that reason I am giving this book 3 stars.
I wish this book and author good luck and success.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This book had good potential.
Sadly, this book wasn't for me.
I understand that the book is written (or appears to be) as an older person (early 20's) looking back to when they were twelve and that is how it read to me.
I didn't feel as though I was reading the thoughts and feelings of twelve year old, I felt I was reading the thoughts and feelings of an adult trying to sound twelve. Unfortunately that is not what I was looking for. I just didn't see twelve year olds speaking this way.
Part of the above issue was I also feel this read as a bullet journal rather than a narrative...I sat next to Jess, we did not talk, text me Jess, Jess did not text me.
Although this book wasn't for me, I am very happy that it was written is available for others to read. We need more books that both reflect our word and could be an eye opener for a young person trying to figure things out. For that reason I am giving this book 3 stars.
I wish this book and author good luck and success.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
January 22, 2021
Twelve is an endearing short story following the coming of age adventures of young Marley. Immediately the narrator cements herself as a personable and engaging storyteller. Marley is sarcastic and witty and talks to the reader like an old friend, she’s also dramatic (and knows it) – which I find highly relatable. I think what makes Marley such an engaging character (and narrator) is the self-awareness that comes from her being an adult retelling a story of her youth. Somehow she makes me invested in pre-teen friendship drama while also reflecting how silly it all seems. There are quite a lot of characters in this short book, and yet they all manage to feel so multidimensional and real, not just like they only come to life when they are needed for Marley’s story. The theme of sexuality felt authentically and sensitively handled throughout the story. Twelve perfectly walks the line between light-hearted 00s nostalgia and tackling some of the more difficult experiences of coming of age.
January 22, 2021
Twelve is such a wonderfully written coming of age debut novel by M. L. Williams. Twelve captures the reader’s interest at all time and even has some funny moments that will have you laughing out loud.
Our main character, Marley is a vibrant 12 year old who is full of sass and energy and is navigating her way through the 7th grade without her usual pals. When she meets Jess, she finds a new friend in her, but it also opens other feelings that she has never experienced before. Things are further complicated when she starts dating one of the cutest guys in the 7th grade as well.
As Marley tries to make it through her classes and sports as well as bonding with friends and being a girlfriend, she’s not too sure all that’s on her plate truly represents her.
Twelve is the perfect novel for any reader who is discovering themselves or for anyone looking for something fresh and new to read. You definitely will not be disappointed!
Our main character, Marley is a vibrant 12 year old who is full of sass and energy and is navigating her way through the 7th grade without her usual pals. When she meets Jess, she finds a new friend in her, but it also opens other feelings that she has never experienced before. Things are further complicated when she starts dating one of the cutest guys in the 7th grade as well.
As Marley tries to make it through her classes and sports as well as bonding with friends and being a girlfriend, she’s not too sure all that’s on her plate truly represents her.
Twelve is the perfect novel for any reader who is discovering themselves or for anyone looking for something fresh and new to read. You definitely will not be disappointed!
May 28, 2021
This book deals with coming of age so gracefully. This story revolves around our main character- Marley, who is a twelve year old regular kid. She is about to step into her "teens" and has a lot to explore about herself. She is new to sexuality and her preference for her partner.
The story beautifully portrays the confusion that one goes through during this phase. It shows how peer pressure can mould one then.
The writing style was quite lucid. But the end did have a great cliffhanger. I am eagerly waiting for the next book in the series. (P.S- I hope it's a series).
This was quite a fast paced book. If you have a teenager then I would highly recommend you to encourage them to read this book. They not only will immensely enjoy this book but also can easily relate it with themselves.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Ratings: 4.5/5
The story beautifully portrays the confusion that one goes through during this phase. It shows how peer pressure can mould one then.
The writing style was quite lucid. But the end did have a great cliffhanger. I am eagerly waiting for the next book in the series. (P.S- I hope it's a series).
This was quite a fast paced book. If you have a teenager then I would highly recommend you to encourage them to read this book. They not only will immensely enjoy this book but also can easily relate it with themselves.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Ratings: 4.5/5
June 4, 2021
I loved this book and how much it offered to the younger kids who needed a lead character like Marley that they could relate to. This book had humor, love, self-discovery, all the things teens go through. I really enjoyed it, and I would recommend it.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews