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Despite the Buzz
DESPITE THE BUZZ is a cautionary tale concerning tech’s toll, an artfully designed human interest story about learning, relationships, and wellbeing.
A motivated new teacher raises awareness about screen use inside her Reflective Writing class, but she doesn't realize there’s danger lurking.
Contemporary communication dramatically impacts the learning environment, identity formation, and charged emotions of high school students in the story. When an intimate act is shared over social media, an inciting incident demonstrates that the potential in our pockets could be lethal.
Can Miss Gabby Oliver protect her students? Who survives the traumatic turn of events? Wait for the twist!
From Chicago and new to California, Gabby considers her life’s timing unique—on the cusp of technology’s cutting edge, yet reminiscent of a time before the Internet dominated. She dares to date a coworker, their romance tested by today’s cyber world. Meanwhile, Gabby manages to stay connected with Rose, her deceased mother, by way of hopeful handwritten letters.
Inside Miss Oliver’s room, a research assignment looks at language, modes of persuasion, and topical issues from distinct teenage perspectives. Inspired by historic figures, diverse students detail their pressing concerns to the president.
This colorful novel, set pre-pandemic, depicts demands upon teachers due to class size, special needs, language barriers, gender sensitivity, gun threats, cell phones, and the challenge of holding students’ attention. By providing understanding to those who grew up before and after current trends, this insightful book could build rapport among members from different schools of thought. A variety of people will relate to feelings of digital distraction, electronic accountability, and online exposure. The story is suited for mature readers ages sixteen and older.
Despite the Buzz is educational, existential, and exciting! A mix of narrative elements makes it an engaging read!
A motivated new teacher raises awareness about screen use inside her Reflective Writing class, but she doesn't realize there’s danger lurking.
Contemporary communication dramatically impacts the learning environment, identity formation, and charged emotions of high school students in the story. When an intimate act is shared over social media, an inciting incident demonstrates that the potential in our pockets could be lethal.
Can Miss Gabby Oliver protect her students? Who survives the traumatic turn of events? Wait for the twist!
From Chicago and new to California, Gabby considers her life’s timing unique—on the cusp of technology’s cutting edge, yet reminiscent of a time before the Internet dominated. She dares to date a coworker, their romance tested by today’s cyber world. Meanwhile, Gabby manages to stay connected with Rose, her deceased mother, by way of hopeful handwritten letters.
Inside Miss Oliver’s room, a research assignment looks at language, modes of persuasion, and topical issues from distinct teenage perspectives. Inspired by historic figures, diverse students detail their pressing concerns to the president.
This colorful novel, set pre-pandemic, depicts demands upon teachers due to class size, special needs, language barriers, gender sensitivity, gun threats, cell phones, and the challenge of holding students’ attention. By providing understanding to those who grew up before and after current trends, this insightful book could build rapport among members from different schools of thought. A variety of people will relate to feelings of digital distraction, electronic accountability, and online exposure. The story is suited for mature readers ages sixteen and older.
Despite the Buzz is educational, existential, and exciting! A mix of narrative elements makes it an engaging read!
352 pages, Paperback
First published May 23, 2021
1 person is currently reading
27 people want to read
About the author
Tamara Miller Davis
1 book24 followersTAMARA MILLER DAVIS is a married mother of two, dance enthusiast, and U.S. Coast Guard veteran from Michigan. She has worked as a substitute teacher, taught English as a Second Language (ESL), and tutored students in California. As a lifelong writer, Tamara has published articles, participated in poetry readings, won a countywide inspirational essay contest, presented penned pieces at dance exhibits, and performed on stage via USA Today’s Storytellers Project.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
October 21, 2023
This was a good book that challenged me to think about my own use of technology. Gabby Oliver is a young, new English teacher designing and teaching a new course in which she wants to encourage her students to think about their use of technology, especially social media. On page 24 she explains, “…this class is meant to give you an outlet for expressing yourself……you’ll be more introspective of your own lives.” The book, in a sense, is a class for everyone who reads this book. Ms. Oliver hardly used technology and encourages her students to digitally turn off when possible.
Pages later, after some inappropriate and cruel uses of social media have tragic consequences, the author offers tidbits of appropriate use of technology. On page 264 Ms. Oliver shares a poster in her room which asks, “Is it true? Is it necessary? Is it kind?” She sprinkles suggestions through out the book and tries to lead by example, making it a point to not use her phone often and check social media even less often. My favorite advice she offers about social media, though, is found on page 271 when she shares, “Social media offers your digital resume. It conveys your values and preferences.”
Although set in a high school and directed towards high school students, this book should be read by anyone who uses technology. It is a new world, and the author does a powerful job of asking her readers to think and remember that all actions have consequences. Technology has made our world both larger and smaller, and its use can have consequences, of which many need to be reminded. Tamara Miller Davis has written a book that invites her readers to think about important issues that do indeed impact the world in which we live.
Pages later, after some inappropriate and cruel uses of social media have tragic consequences, the author offers tidbits of appropriate use of technology. On page 264 Ms. Oliver shares a poster in her room which asks, “Is it true? Is it necessary? Is it kind?” She sprinkles suggestions through out the book and tries to lead by example, making it a point to not use her phone often and check social media even less often. My favorite advice she offers about social media, though, is found on page 271 when she shares, “Social media offers your digital resume. It conveys your values and preferences.”
Although set in a high school and directed towards high school students, this book should be read by anyone who uses technology. It is a new world, and the author does a powerful job of asking her readers to think and remember that all actions have consequences. Technology has made our world both larger and smaller, and its use can have consequences, of which many need to be reminded. Tamara Miller Davis has written a book that invites her readers to think about important issues that do indeed impact the world in which we live.
September 30, 2023
Despite The Buzz is such a good book! Tamera Miller Davis is so Talented! The author gives us so much information and insight into life as a Teacher, Student, Teenager and so much more! I’m not going to Spoil the book for you but I Can totally see Gabby Oliver in a Movie! Yes this Book is Movie Material! Hollywood better take notice! Absolutely Recommend this Book! 📗🔥
July 14, 2021
A good read written by a former student. I very insightful look at teaching in the digital age (and being a kid in it too)
Not my normal read but well worthwhile.
Not my normal read but well worthwhile.
May 21, 2024
Despite the Buzz follows the story of Miss Gabby Oliver, navigating the challenging landscape of technology's impact on today's youth. When an intimate act is shared over social media, it sets off a chain of events that prompts everyone to reevaluate their virtual interactions. This engaging novel is especially relevant to parents of Generation Z, offering insights into the complexities faced by pre-teens and teenagers in the digital age.
Tamara’s extensive experience in education and her passion for storytelling shine through in her portrayal of teenage drama and the nuanced issues surrounding technology use. Her book has been featured in numerous publications and platforms, highlighting its relevance and importance.
Tamara shares her insights on digital wellness, the inspiration behind her book, and practical tips for parents and educators to navigate the digital landscape with their children. This conversation is sure to resonate with anyone interested in the intersection of technology and wellbeing.
This is a must read for teens and parents!!
Tamara’s extensive experience in education and her passion for storytelling shine through in her portrayal of teenage drama and the nuanced issues surrounding technology use. Her book has been featured in numerous publications and platforms, highlighting its relevance and importance.
Tamara shares her insights on digital wellness, the inspiration behind her book, and practical tips for parents and educators to navigate the digital landscape with their children. This conversation is sure to resonate with anyone interested in the intersection of technology and wellbeing.
This is a must read for teens and parents!!
March 6, 2025
Despite the Buzz by Tamara Miller Davis is a compelling exploration of technology's impact on education and personal connections. The narrative follows Gabby Oliver, a dedicated new teacher who emphasizes reflective journaling in her classroom. This practice fosters introspection among her students and serves as Gabby's personal bridge to her late mother through heartfelt letters. Davis masterfully weaves various media forms—poems, letters, graphics, and pictures—creating an engaging and multifaceted reading experience. The novel serves as a poignant reminder of the importance of mindfulness and genuine human interaction in our digitally saturated world. I highly recommend you read this book with your teen and give it to teachers as a gift!
June 15, 2021
As adults, we struggle with the tough issues of screens, social media, gun violence, and other matters affecting our world. Rarely are we given a realistic day-to-day glimpse of how these topics affect our youth. Despite the Buzz is an intimate view of how these issues influence our children through the lens of a new high school teacher. If you stay up on current events, this book is for you. Happy reading!
February 6, 2023
This is a good book. It's a cautionary tale about how we are constantly connected digitally all the time, yet tend to have less physical and emotional connections. The author also draws from one of my favorite books, 'Amusing Ourselves to Death' by Neil Postman. She also quotes another book I wasn't familiar with, but now would like to read, 'Alone Together' by Sherry Turkle.
February 4, 2023
Despite The Buzz is highly original, extremely relevant, brutally honest, superbly written, and should be required reading for all parents of teenagers, and teachers at any level.
Gabby Oliver sets out in her newly established high school Reflective Writing Class to bridge classic creative writing methods with modern technology emphasizing a non-reliance upon social media. The results are mixed with a jaw-dropping twist that can't be missed.
The author gives a well-balanced perspective on internet reliance among teenagers, emphasizing that although young and confused, teens are the ones setting rules and boundaries on text messaging, smart phone use, and social media participation. Why not? They have been networking since birth.
Mrs. Davis emphasizes that it falls on adults and educators to be empathic to the younger generation and their psychologically traumatic networking struggles, and not just condemn or ignore what we don't understand.
Despite The Buzz is a must read!
Gabby Oliver sets out in her newly established high school Reflective Writing Class to bridge classic creative writing methods with modern technology emphasizing a non-reliance upon social media. The results are mixed with a jaw-dropping twist that can't be missed.
The author gives a well-balanced perspective on internet reliance among teenagers, emphasizing that although young and confused, teens are the ones setting rules and boundaries on text messaging, smart phone use, and social media participation. Why not? They have been networking since birth.
Mrs. Davis emphasizes that it falls on adults and educators to be empathic to the younger generation and their psychologically traumatic networking struggles, and not just condemn or ignore what we don't understand.
Despite The Buzz is a must read!
May 11, 2022
Despite the Buzz really gave me an insight on the consequences of online exposure, and its censorship it has on society. As a Generation Z myself, I really enjoyed and related to all the characters. I didn't expect to win this book raffle but I'm happy I did. It was a fun read. Thank you! :)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 31, 2021
With the rise of smartphone ownership and ubiquitous social media platforms, Despite The Buzz, highlights the tough issues surrounding the constant presence of modern technology and its influence on the classroom. 24/7 access to social media has over-socialized us and turned us into objects of criticism. It only takes one post to permanently tarnish your reputation. Tamara Miller Davis provides crucial insight and awareness necessary for parents, teachers, and students, to navigate our networked world.
July 23, 2021
Tamara Davis captures all the turmoil of a teacher’s first year—and then some. The personal idealism of a beginning teacher and the harsh reality of teaching a diverse class of students collide to create ripples of conflict that extend far beyond the walls of Miss Oliver’s classroom.
Davis presents a protagonist with a simple plan and a clear goal: to show her students the power of writing. However, the classroom is not a vacuum, and the outside world suddenly exerts its influence on Miss Oliver’s plans. The students of Miss Oliver’s class come from a variety of backgrounds with many different lived experiences along with their own personal plans and goals, all of which test Miss Oliver’s resolve.
Davis’ writing is compact and nimble, encapsulating what is needed while teaching. She manages to capture the wide array of voices and struggles that exist within a classroom, while never forgetting the much larger social and cultural context which education is a part of. Additionally, the mix of narrative elements makes this an engaging read, giving the lay-reader a taste of the dramatic highs and lows that come with standing in front of a classroom full of students.
Despite the Buzz is much more than a narrative about a teacher’s first year teaching. It is also a well-researched and thoughtful conversation about important issues that affect us all in one way or another. It raises critical questions about our relationship with technology and each other through a lens that any current or former high school student can relate to. Readers are invited into a conversation with these students and their teacher about these topics that have become unavoidable for us all.
- Greg Raney, High School English Teacher
Davis presents a protagonist with a simple plan and a clear goal: to show her students the power of writing. However, the classroom is not a vacuum, and the outside world suddenly exerts its influence on Miss Oliver’s plans. The students of Miss Oliver’s class come from a variety of backgrounds with many different lived experiences along with their own personal plans and goals, all of which test Miss Oliver’s resolve.
Davis’ writing is compact and nimble, encapsulating what is needed while teaching. She manages to capture the wide array of voices and struggles that exist within a classroom, while never forgetting the much larger social and cultural context which education is a part of. Additionally, the mix of narrative elements makes this an engaging read, giving the lay-reader a taste of the dramatic highs and lows that come with standing in front of a classroom full of students.
Despite the Buzz is much more than a narrative about a teacher’s first year teaching. It is also a well-researched and thoughtful conversation about important issues that affect us all in one way or another. It raises critical questions about our relationship with technology and each other through a lens that any current or former high school student can relate to. Readers are invited into a conversation with these students and their teacher about these topics that have become unavoidable for us all.
- Greg Raney, High School English Teacher
March 28, 2022
Packed with dramatic irony, Despite the Buzz keeps the reader on edge. At once, one is swept up and can't put it down. The story teaches lessons without studying and asks, how does one reinvigorate digital citizenship? And, where does one fit in, flooded by the constant harassment of technology? A character in itself, the digital landscape hovers like a titanic swarm of locusts. At once, a mystery, a romance, a trial, but at its core, a cry for reflective writing (clarity, therapy, creativity) inspires the reader to pick up a pen. Interwoven into the text, disparate elements –changing fonts, bolds, colors, illustrations, seating charts, footnotes, and highlighting- create a sweeping intertextual dreamscape. Linked with surprising twists and wordplay, it never becomes tiresome. The paradox of guns and violence in the classroom takes on new meaning. At its best, a book can be a conversation with a friend you didn't know you had and the teacher you wish you did. Overall, it is a joy to read.
January 6, 2022
I enjoyed this book very much. The description of the daily life/thoughts of a teacher I found to be accurate. The topic is very relevant and had me thinking/re-thinking my relationship with social media. I think it would be a great book to use in a high school English class or as your next book group pick!
February 21, 2024
Despite the Buzz is an engaging story about the tensions and questions that arise between our online and in-person lives. Told from the perspective of Gabriella Oliver, a first year high school teacher, the reader is introduced to many different perspectives on issues such as digital citizenship, gun-violence in schools, as well as bigger existential questions about how to navigate our relationships in the digital age. The author uses fictional journal entries, letters, artwork, and music, together with evidence-based research to present a full picture of the complexities facing all of us over how to best communicate. I found the most enjoyable parts of the story to be the lively discussions between Ms. Oliver and her teenage students. The scenes in the classroom were engaging, honest, fun, and well…educational. The care and curiosity of Ms. Oliver towards her students had me wishing that all teachers held themselves to her standards. The book is a perfect springboard to open up more discussions about these issues. Nothing is tidied up too neatly, the challenges raised in the book are timely and ongoing. I would highly recommend this book to book clubs, parents, teachers, and teens.
September 22, 2025
Despite the Buzz is more than just a novel; it’s a wake-up call wrapped in the pulse of a gripping story. The book delves deep into the high-stakes tension between technology, identity, and the precarious space where teenagers struggle to understand who they are in an ever-evolving digital landscape.
At the heart of this whirlwind is Gabby Oliver, a character whose depth and complexity make her feel achingly real. She embodies the experience of many young people today, caught between caring deeply for those around her and trying to find her place in a world that often moves too fast for human connection to keep up. Gabby’s journey is one of self-discovery, torn between the pressure of living in the shadow of social media's never-ending buzz and the desire for something more authentic and grounded.
The author does a masterful job of capturing the emotional turbulence of adolescence in this technological age, where every click, post, and message feels like it could define who you are. Yet, it’s the moments of vulnerability, the quiet spaces where Gabby grapples with her own identity, that resonate the most.
At the heart of this whirlwind is Gabby Oliver, a character whose depth and complexity make her feel achingly real. She embodies the experience of many young people today, caught between caring deeply for those around her and trying to find her place in a world that often moves too fast for human connection to keep up. Gabby’s journey is one of self-discovery, torn between the pressure of living in the shadow of social media's never-ending buzz and the desire for something more authentic and grounded.
The author does a masterful job of capturing the emotional turbulence of adolescence in this technological age, where every click, post, and message feels like it could define who you are. Yet, it’s the moments of vulnerability, the quiet spaces where Gabby grapples with her own identity, that resonate the most.
August 17, 2025
Insightful and Thought-Provoking! Highly Recommend This Timely Tale of Tech and Teens
This fantastic read by Tamara Davis follows a passionate teacher guiding her students through the real pitfalls of social media. Davis’s writing style is warm and engaging, and her characters are full of humor and heart, making the story hard to put down! With technology’s impact on young people more pressing than ever, this book isn’t just relevant—it is essential, reminding us how much genuine connection still matters in a world of screens. It also invites us to reflect on our own tech habits while cheering for its lively cast. I absolutely loved this book and highly recommend this timely tale of tech and teens!
This fantastic read by Tamara Davis follows a passionate teacher guiding her students through the real pitfalls of social media. Davis’s writing style is warm and engaging, and her characters are full of humor and heart, making the story hard to put down! With technology’s impact on young people more pressing than ever, this book isn’t just relevant—it is essential, reminding us how much genuine connection still matters in a world of screens. It also invites us to reflect on our own tech habits while cheering for its lively cast. I absolutely loved this book and highly recommend this timely tale of tech and teens!
December 10, 2022
What a wonderful look at how the digital age is affecting students from the eyes of a new high school teacher. In this day and age of social media and everything being online, this book is an insightful look at how it impacts students and really everyone in general. Highly recommend for those who are living through this time, and also those who may be baffled by the digital age to get some insight into the pros and cons.
May 29, 2023
Tamara Miller Davis delivers an entertaining and educational exploration of social media through the eyes of a first-year high school teacher. This book offers a compelling story and insightful analysis, highlighting the challenges teachers face in the digital age. A must-read for parents, educators, and anyone curious about the impact of social media.
February 15, 2024
I highly enjoyed this read. Along with the story itself being captivating, the subject matter was thought provoking and insightful…I found myself inspired to write as well.
This book also encouraged me to be more assiduous with screen use for my own family. A wonderful read!
Highly recommend!
Kendra
This book also encouraged me to be more assiduous with screen use for my own family. A wonderful read!
Highly recommend!
Kendra
December 14, 2023
Very good book. Inspires you to want to be on your phone less or be more intentional with it. Also makes you question how our phones affect our lives. The ending will shock you and leave you wanting more!
September 25, 2024
What a wonderful way to tell the story of technology's impact on a high school. After reading so much on this topic in the news and in Nonfiction, it is delightful to have this issue told through storytelling. Tamara's book is personal and educational. Highly recommend!
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews