The Lighter Side of Life and Death

by C.K. Kelly Martin

Alternate cover version of 1548693146

Acclaimed YA author C. K. Kelly Martin offers a sexy, soulful story of one confused boy, two girls, and all the complications that ensue in this romantic feel-good love story that celebrates friendship, first love, first lust, and second chances.

Sixteen-year-old Mason Rice is having the night of his life. He's just delivered an incredible performance in the school play, basked in celebratory afterglow vibes at the party of the year, and lost his virginity to one of his best friends—the gorgeous but previously unobtainable Kat Medina. His dreams are coming true, and the future looks golden.

Unfortunately, Kat sees things very differently. Crossing the friendship line was a big mistake, and all she wants is to forget it and move on, even if that means forgetting Mason altogether. What's a guy to do? Well, if you're Mason, you hang your hopes on the first attractive twenty-three-year-old you cross paths with. At first Mason wonders if he's imagining the chemistry . . . until Colette invites him over to her apartment. Suddenly Mason's living in a whole new world.

Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Realistic Fiction, Fiction, Teen, Young Adult Contemporary

240 pages, Hardcover

First published May 25, 2010

About the author

Long before I was an author I was a fan of books about Winnie the Pooh, Babar, Madeline, Anne Shirley and anything by Judy Blume. Throughout high school my favourite class was English. No surprise, then, that most of my time spent at York University in Toronto was as an English major—not the traditional way to graduate with a B.A. (Hons) in film studies but a fine way to get a general arts education.

After getting my film studies degree I headed for Dublin, Ireland and spent the majority of the nineties there in forgettable jobs meeting unforgettable people and enjoying the buzz. I always believed I'd get around to writing in earnest eventually, and I began writing my first novel in a flat in Dublin and finished it in a Toronto suburb. By then I'd discovered that fiction about young people felt the freshest and most exciting to me. You have most of your life to be an adult but you only grow up once.

Currently residing near Toronto with my Dub husband, I'm an aunt to twenty-one nieces and nephews, and a great-aunt to five great-nieces and two great-nephews. I became an Irish citizen in 2001 and continue to visit Dublin as often as I can while working on novels about young people.

My first young adult book, I Know It's Over, came out with Random House in September 2008, and was followed by One Lonely Degree, The Lighter Side of Life and Death, My Beating Teenage Heart and sci-fi thriller Yesterday. I released Yesterday's sequel, Tomorrow, in 2013 and put out my first adult novel, Come See About Me, as an ebook in June 2012. Two of my contemporary YA books, The Sweetest Thing You Can Sing and Delicate, were published by Cormorant Books' Dancing Cat Books imprint in 2014 and 2015. They also published my middle grade sci-fi, Stricken.

My 2017 young adult novel, Just Like You Said It Would Be, is the book of my heart. Packed with movies references and giddy love for Dublin, Ireland, Just Like You Said It Would Be is a frank exploration of first love, full of confusion, elation, disappointment and its knack of making the ordinary seem amazing.

In 2019 I made my horror debut with DCB under the name Cara Martin. Booklist described Shantallow as "serious, literary and very scary" and Kirkus called it "gut-wrenching on various levels." It was an Ottawa Book Awards finalist and was longlisted for the Sunburst Award.

Reviews

[Arlene · Rating 3 out of 5]

To say I’m slightly conflicted about this book is a huge understatement. I finished it yesterday, and I’ve been thinking how I feel about the content and the characters since then, so I’ll warn you now, my comments below are unorganized and might be borderline ranting... just so you know... Okay, who am I kidding... it’s a rant... full blown rant.

First of all, I’m giving it three stars because I liked the narrator of this story. Mason is a sixteen year old junior in high school, who I feel is likeable, down-to-earth, and unabashedly honest. Well that’s about all I liked about the book. No really, everything else pretty much sucked. Let me prove it to you...

Mason’s two best friends are total *insert bad word*. I couldn’t stand Jamie and how quickly he abandoned Mason after a decision that was really none of his business. It pissed be off that Jamie guilt tripped Mason over something he would have done IN.A.HEARTBEAT . What happened between Mason and Kat is something that Jamie should have just let go and be there for his friend when he needed him. Period, end of story.

Now Kat... Ugh! I hate to stereo-type because I’m sooo not like that at all, but come on! She acted like a typical guy. After what went down between her and Mason, you’d think she’d return his calls or be half-way decent towards him. I couldn’t stand her for the rest of the story and seeing him give her a second chance at the end was pretty disappointing. Mason you deserve better than Kat, you really do! One more thing… first time??? One word.. *whispers* liar. That experience for you was pulled out of a typical bodice ripper romance novel and we all know… so not true how it really goes. Boo to that.

Colette was a piece of work. OMG woman!! You hooked up with a sixteen year old boy. Yes, a boy! I don’t care what state or country this is set in, that just feels, looks and smells criminal. You knew he was just coming off of a huge let down and just needed to carve a little space to feel cared about. The answer is not to take advantage of that. Boo to you! Boo! Boo! I’m so glad Mason deleted her final voice mail and decided to move on because that woman deserved to be ignored and shunned for what she did.

Mason’s family... one word... WORTHLESS. The poor guy confesses to his father what he did and all his dad could focus on is Mason apologizing to Brianna for calling her out on being a beeyotch. Umm *taps dad on the shoulder* your SIXTEEN year old son just told you he hooked up with an older woman and he obviously wants to talk about it, putting it off till tomorrow because that would be a “better time” is a load of crap! Oh and stepmom… *taps stepmom on the shoulder* your older friend just took advantage of your stepson and the best you can do is give him the stink eye? Ugh! You guys suck. Boo to all of you, except for Burke.

Well, you can read the overview to see what this book is about and I blame myself for still reading this because I knew the theme sounded a bit too controversial for my taste but as always my morbid curiosity took over and landed me in fictional hell. Don’t think I can recommend this book, but I don’t regret reading it because it got me one book closer to my reading challenge for 2011. That is all...

PS. I actually went back and deleted about 20 of these !!!!!!!!!!!!

[Nomes · Rating 4 out of 5]

I automatically wanted to read this book regardless of the premise because I really love the way C K Kelly Martin writes. (Not that the premise was so bad, just that I plan on reading her books regardless of the blurb)

C K Kelly Martin captures the teen voice so authentically and without any sentimentality ~ it really is refreshing to read. Her books just feel honest.

Likewise ~ I adore her prose. It is neither overly literary or simply commercial. I love the way she tells her stories ~ her sentences often have a perfect rhythm and her dialogue flows so effortlessly.

I loved Mason's voice in this story. He's charming and aching and 100% teen man-child. I find it easy to crush on a male POV done well and this ranks up at the top for me among YA fiction.

As for the actual story. Gosh ~ I was so into it (really, I read it in one day) but at the same time, it didn't entirely sit well with me. I found myself wondering a couple of times just what the book was really about, what Martin's intentions with the story were, what that first original nugget of idea was that sparked the whole thing. I am concluding it really is just about one guys first experiences with sex/lust and how messed up it can make everything. It is tastefully done, gorgeous and genuinely heart-breaking (as I expected it would be having read her previous two books) but... sigh, I don't know. I think I would have handled it better if Mason had been bumped up to 18 years. Which, I guess, would undermine the premise...

I was left wondering at Collette's motives (her being 23 and getting it on with a 16 year old boy). I wish it had been made clearer (apart from her finding him "beguiling" and being unable to resist). Baffled :/

I loved all the high school theatre stuff. Adored the conflict in Mason's family ~ it was such a great backdrop for the sexual/relationship dramas ~ and it never felt melodramatic or cliche.

I have enjoyed all C K Kelly Martin's books and this one is no different. I am finding it hard to balance my immense enjoyment of Mason and appreciation of the gorgeously-flowing story against my distaste for some of the events in the book :/

In the end, I'm going all four stars. I was hooked and I just admire her so much as an author... (and I have a crush on Mason ~ not a perverted one, LOL ~ just on him as a person, in all his confidence and insecurities and hopes and dreams and failures...)

Shame about that cover. Ugh. Who are they marketing this to?> It's intelligent lit and absolutely would appeal to teen guys to read. I don't think they would get past the cover though (I even felt embarrassed reading it near my 9 year old son, haha)

[Alyssa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Martin does diversity - with her characters and plot lines - extremely well, a reason why I enjoyed this book as much as I did. I was pleasantly surprised that Martin supported and represented minorities, as well as addressed "taboo" (and often clichéd) situations. Although this book wasn't without its faults, I'm very glad that there is an author out there that gets the idea of diversity, and that she took that aspect of reality to her story. This is definitely my favourite of Martin's books.

Mason, the sixteen year old easy-going actor, has got himself in a heap of trouble. Not only can’t he stop fighting with his future step-sister who’s just moved in, but he slept with his best friend (who’s now ignoring him) and is now starting up a relationship – if you could call it that – with a confused twenty-three year old woman. As he battles with his feelings for two totally different women and his father’s upcoming marriage, readers get to ride it all out in the head of a very mature and well-developed confused teenage boy.

I absolutely love reading from the perspective of a teen guy; I find it one of the most enjoyable reading experiences, probably because I’m an adolescent female and it’s interesting to experience the things I do everyday through the eyes of someone totally different. Mason was totally realistic and refreshing to read about. I appreciated the optimism and the lighter personality he had, especially amongst all the drama he was going through, because it provided a very hopeful and refreshing feel for the book. One of my less-favourable comments about The Lighter Side of Life and Death would be that we never really got to see character-building in Mason, and that he pretty much got away with everything, even when he “didn’t.” In the family Martin creates for him, and the school setting, and everything that goes on with Colette (the twenty-three year old), I found it quite unbelievable that Mason never got into trouble, and was never reprimanded for his actions. Also, while I’ve admired Martin for writing “not-nice” characters and while I still admire that of her for making them realistic, it bothered me a lot that Mason was such a terrible friend to a group of wonderful people that helped him through so much. And again, that he got away with it.

I mentioned before that I really enjoyed the diverse cast in this book, but I think I should elaborate. YA Fiction generally focuses on straight Caucasian characters of the Christian faith. It’s disappointing to me – even being a straight Caucasian teen myself – because such is an inaccurate portrayal of reality, and also incredibly boring after the hundredth read. I very much commend Martin not only for including such a diverse, realistic cast – one that included characters of a variety of ethnicities, sexual orientations and ages – but also for giving the side characters plot, dialogue and lives. That the two lesbians in the book discussed their issues deriving of their sexual orientation pleased and surprised me, even if Mason nobody listened to them. That one of the DLIs was Filipino and that the other was twenty-three delighted me, but I’m not lying when I say that I was worried - unnecessarily – about Martin’s choice in female leads, as both of the women could have been grossly misrepresented as they both play on misogynist sexual clichés.

As per usual, I really enjoyed Martin’s stepping out of the box, with her plotting, writing and characterization. I thought she accurately depicted all the relationships in the book, specifically the one between Colette and Mason, which was delicate and cautious as it should have been. Mason’s voice and the writing style itself was extremely teen-friendly, thus relatable, and I additionally thought that Martin found the perfect balance in the usage of alcohol/drugs, language and the lack of such. Still, for a book that addressed important teen issues and brought in many key things we should see in YA, it was really just an average read all on its own. It’s not that I expected more from it, exactly, but there just could have been some more emotion brought into a story that was otherwise very well written.

The Lighter Side of Life and Death is absolutely recommended, especially to those who are looking for a little variety in their readings.

[Diane Ferbrache · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mason is a 16 year old boy who loses his virginity in the first chapter. He and his best friend, Kat, have too much to drink at a party, she sees her boyfriend with another girl, and things get out of hand (she was a virgin too). The next week he can’t understand why she’s avoiding him and his friends are treating him differently. When he meets Colette, a friend of his new stepmom, everything changes. She’s 23 and he can’t get her out of his mind.
Apparently, a 16 year old is “of age” in Canada, and the 7 year age difference isn’t a criminal offense. But even if you disregard this aspect, this book is problematic. The sex scenes (several of them) are explicit enough they would almost qualify for Playboy. There is no real solution/resolution to any of the problems here, but the implication is that everything works itself out. The published reviews (and those on Amazon) praised the honesty & realism, but I think the explicitness puts it outside the realm of a school library collection. Plus…I just don’t GET the title – I don’t see the connection to the storyline.

[Kerri (Book Hoarder) · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars.

This book was a bit strange, for me. I couldn't decide if I liked the main character or not, in spite of my usual reminders to myself when reading YA that I am reading about teenagers.

In that sense, the author has teenagers down pat. Hormones running wild, awkward drama, tensions over the smallest things? All of that is to be found in this book about a sixteen year old boy who finds the course of his life getting a bit bumpy when he sleeps with his best friend only to have things fall apart afterwards.

There are two romantic entanglements in the book, both filled with awkwardness. I will say that the author does a very good job of putting us into the head of a self-absorbed, hormonal teenaged boy - the trouble is, self-absorbed, hormonal teenaged boys aren't necessarily compelling or likeable.

Mason is horny. He's awkward. He's full of himself. He's dramatic. He's self involved. It's all very realistic but it made the book hard for me to read, and I felt as though secondary characterization suffered a bit. His best friend Jamie seems relegated to the background - not something I really expect from a teenaged boy - and I found this to be a situation where the author tells us about how the main character is such good friends with other characters, but doesn't show us. I really hate that, because I need to be invested in friendships to care about it.

This lack of depth haunted the main relationship in the book, that of Mason and the ethereal Kat. At the end of the book I still wasn't quite sure why he was so obsessed, or why they were such good friends. I think I would have enjoyed the book quite a bit more if I'd been able to see more of that. A book that is primarily about conflict is fine, but for that to work the reader needs to care about the people involved in the conflict, and that was what was missing, here.

So overall, a midling effort, really. I do like the fact that it takes on the male p.o.v. for once, though - we need more books that do that.

[Amee · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ick.

[Carla]

Imagine you've had a crush on one of your best friends for as long as you can remember, it's a bit of an all consuming thing. You loose your virginity to that person and it's midblowing, everything you hoped it would be and more. Then imagine that person decides it was a mistake and blatantly ignores you, acts like your nothing and what you did together was nothing. It can destroy a person, so it's no suprise that Mason jumps on the rebound train and heads straight to Older Woman town, a one way ticket to experiences that will open his eyes and make him realise just how complicated relationships can be.

The Lighter Side of Life and Death is a book that made me realise how powerful young adult novels can be when they're done right. It was full of unrestrained emotion, first experiences and growth. This was quite possibly one of the most accurate potrayals of a teenage boy I have read thus far. Martin's writing is raw and original and she doesn't shy away from the truth, none of her words are sugar coated. It's such an amazing thing to read a book that isn't full of some serious bullshit. It's like reading someone's diary, you feel let into their world and their life, and you embrace it because you just know that its real.

Sex, yes it has sex scenes, which are never once brushed over. For an author to actually write sex scenes that don't just hint at the topic, but show you the emotional intensity of it all, was just wow. There is a derth of books that just skim over the subject, even though its as much a part of being a young adult as falling in and out of friendships. Also, ;oosing your virginity can be a monumental occasion, its something that happens to us all at one point or another, so to read about it in a way that makes it magical and something to be cherished was just lovely. I am amazed at how poised and beautiful she made it, for both the characters and the reader.

Mason is just one of those characters thats instantly relatable, its like opening the pages and finding your friend inside, and wondering how the hell he managed to make it into a book. Not that I know anyone like Mason, but thats why he's amazing, because you feel like you do. His internal thoughts and comments on the behaviour and his observations of everything surrounding him were mesmorising. He wasn't the popular boy, or the gorgeous boy, he was just a 16 year old boy, trying to get through high school in his own special way. Man, this was so refreshing because he was comfortable with his big circle of friends, who are some of the most brilliant secondary characters out there. From Jamie, who is more than a little sensitive. To Kat, who was silly and sexy, and Colette who was amazing in her own way.

I can't finish my review without touching on the subject of Colette, the 23 year old woman. I think it must have been exceptionally hard to portray this particular aspect of the story to readers, without thinking that it may be construed the wrong way. I know some people may be uncomfortable with the plotline after reading the synopsis, but this would be cutting your nose off to spite your face. This could've easily turned into a serious jailbait scenario, but the fact is, it didn't. Mason was so mature about the whole situation. He goes into it with his eyes wide open, knowing what the consequences of his actions may be, and fully prepared to take responsibility for it should it crumble around him.

This took my breathaway for the simple fact that it was just truth in the pages of book. It shows you that real life isn't perfect. Sometimes your going to have to deal with a cat that has terrorist tendencies, sometimes your basement is going to get took over by two strange kids, one of whom may or may not hate your guts and one that acts like they took a serious dose of crack. Sometimes loosing your virginity to a friend is not the best idea in the world, and maybe just maybe, having sex with someone your 8 years younger than may not be as hot as it sounds. This was just amazing. I am in love with this book.

[Jenny / Wondrous Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

If there's one thing C. K. Kelly Martin can do better than almost anyone, it's write from the perspective of a normal teenage boy. She somehow manages to get inside their heads and portray them with realism and honesty, leaving no stone unturned and nothing to the imagination. Her debut novel, I Know It's Over, also used male narration, leaving me to think that that was as good as it got. Thanks to The Lighter Side of Life and Death, it got better.

From reading the summary, you're probably thinking this book is about a teenage boy's sordid affair with an older woman. You'd be right, of course, though there's nothing wrong or sleazy about their sudden exploration of each other. They truly do have feelings for one another, and mutually choose to embark on an adult relationship. There's an age gap, yes, but it's not an issue - it's not illegal, they're both responsible, and there's just something right about them being together.

Mason is the teenage boy in question. He's at that point in his life where sex is on the cards, and he has a thing for his best friend, Kat. After a night of drunken antics, they go further than ever before, leaving their friendship in tatters the day after. This alone would be a nightmare for any teenager, not to mention confusing and completely devastating. Crossing the line with a friend is like walking a tightrope: either it all goes to plan, or you fall. Hard.

Mason, in true realistic fashion, has no idea what's going on with Kat. She's hot and cold, throwing mixed signals his way and making his head swim. Sounds familiar? I'm sure there isn't a teenage boy in the world who hasn't had trouble figuring out girls - it's just a high school given. I've never read a more honest account of male thoughts and emotions, not to mention physical descriptions of sex itself. Martin will never pull the wool over your eyes - she tells it as it is. Sex is awkward, chaotic, and intimate, and that's exactly how it's portrayed in The Lighter Side of Life and Death. Young adults are treated like adults within the pages of this book, and it really shows a sense of understanding between author and reader.

Colette, the older object of Mason's affections, is also very well written. You get to see her side of things through Mason's eyes, though she's an enigma that is never fully explained. Her actions and attraction to Mason could be construed as simple lust or longing, but I think it goes deeper than that. Maybe she's looking for that connection to tether her to reality, or someone who will just appreciate her for who she is and what she stands for. Whatever her reasoning, she opens her eyes to a whole new experience, taking Mason along for the ride with her.

The Lighter Side of Life and Death is about maturing, making choices and taking life as it comes. It's an honest depiction of one boy's brush with the seemingly interchangeable love and lust, and a realistic look at the decisions made by people of all ages. I admire its raw honesty, and I think you will too.

[laaaaames · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wish C.K. Kelly Martin wrote ten books a year so I would have more of them to read. I mean, good god. They are so awesome. And they are so awesome because they are not super high concept or paranormal or trend-jumpy, they are just books about people living, and sometimes they do good things and sometimes they do bad things, but mostly they just do THINGS because life is rarely very black and white, so why should books about people be either?

I like Martin's boy protags a lot. They are boys for sure, but unlike other women I could mention but I won't because I'm in a good mood, Martin isn't desperate for you to believe Mason's a dude that she feels the need to crude it up beyond reality. Look, I get that the mind of a teenage boy is a dirty place (remember: so is the mind of a teenage girl), but I don't know men who write YA lit who take this weirdo path of gratuitousness. This is a good segue into agreeing with Courtney that Martin really nails (no pun intended, really) writing about sex. It's so real without veering into creepytown.

The Colette storyline was handled with such sensitivity and honesty. It wasn't a Lesson or a Message or a The More You Know. It was something that happened. It was something you understood exactly how it happened. And Martin's really smart about letting her female characters sometimes airlift in some thoughts on girlhood or womanhood or feminism or gender or whatever else her boy protags need to hear without it ever seeming preachy or Women's Studies 101.

One of my favorite moments in I Know it's Over is when Sasha is furious with Nick for how he speaks of another girl derogatorily. And Nick's all, holy crap, that was pretty effing shitty of me. And I felt like, YES YES YES, good boy, Nick. I don't expect boys (or men) to understand what it's like going through life as a girl (or woman) but the good ones do want to be on the side of understanding and egalitarianism.

And there are little moments of that here too; Colette calls Mason out on a couple of gender-related issues. Also even the Maxim-cover-type girl is a three-dimensional character in this book. Maybe you're thinking, well, of course, a woman wrote this, of course she's playing fair with the ladies. AND GOD I WISH THAT WAS ALWAYS TRUE. With Martin it is always true.

Lastly - and this is a little spoilery, so the pure should look away now - I really appreciate that while the relationship between Mason and Colette was about as bad an idea as one could have, no one had to suffer any consequences besides feeling embarrassed or Bad Idea Jeans about it. I mean, really. Isn't much of life often about making Dumb Relationship Decisions without the earth imploding or anyone getting a disease?

Wow, I think this is the most I've written about a book I liked! Way to go, me.

(read: 77)

[Steph | bookedinsaigon · Rating 3 out of 5]

C.K. Kelly Martin’s third novel, THE LIGHTER SIDE OF LIFE AND DEATH, is a nuanced tale of the complexities of contemporary romance. It doesn’t quite have the punch and memorability I seek in contemporary realistic fiction, but it will nevertheless find fans among those who like their love stories quieter and subtler.

I adore Mason, the protagonist, in a way that is less than adulation but more than pleasant enjoyment. He is the realest boy I have read about in a long time, with typical male desires for female attention and a conflict-free lifestyle, but with the determination to get through the hardest parts of his life with as much dignity and open-mindedness as possible. As I was reading I kept thinking, YES, this is how a boy thinks! even though I clearly have no personal experience—but it felt right, the way C.K. Kelly Martin portrayed Mason’s thought processes.

The two girls, Kat and Colette, were less fleshed out than I would’ve liked, paling in the shadows of Mason’s three-dimensionality. Mason likes to say that Kat is adorable and alluring, but I never really saw her being as cool as he described her to be. Mason spends a lot more time and space in the book with Colette, and so I can understand her conflicts a bit more, and their affair works for me despite its unconventionality and taboo implications.

Overall, THE LIGHTER SIDE OF LIFE AND DEATH didn’t take me by surprise or anything, but it was still a smooth read that I was invested in while I was reading it. C.K. Kelly Martin will either strike the perfect chord with your contemporary fiction desires, or else be a nevertheless intriguing book that was obviously skillfully written.

[Trisha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Intense, vivid and a little bit unsettling. The voice of the narrator is an authentic teenage male, with all his flaws and adolescent idealism on display equally.

[Christina (A Reader of Fictions) · Rating 2 out of 5]

The blurb describes The Lighter Side of Life and Death as a feel-good love story, and that's majorly off. The Lighter Side of Life and Death isn't a romance so much as it as a coming of age story tied to Mason discovering his sexuality; though there is romance, sort of, the book is very much not about the romance but his slight shifts in understanding.

What I appreciate about C.K. Kelly Martin is her fearless looks at teen sexuality in a way that isn't sensational or overly romanticized. This book definitely made me feel things, though most of those things were discomfort over the relationship between a 16-year-old boy and a 23-year-old woman. I'd have trouble believing in the realism of that, but I actually know (we're not friends) a woman who, at 25, dated a 16 year old guy she met at a My Chemical Romance concert, so this shit does happen.

Mostly, though, I felt disconnected from The Lighter Side of Life and Death. Mason doesn't have a particularly strong voice, and he's very mild in feelings, even when he's feeling obsessive or hurt. The eventual romance sparked nary a feel, and when the book ended I failed to really understand what the point of the novel was. It didn't seem like an indictment of relationships between older people and teens, nor did it feel like it was about the awkwardness of sex impinging on a friendship. I'm not sure what it was about.

All told, I think this is a decent book, though not a great fit for me. I'd definitely recommend Martin's books to anyone looking for YA contemporary that takes risks and is outside the norm, though. There's something very unique and powerful about her books, even if this one wasn't right for me.

[JustJay · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book has one saving grace: diversity. Love how diverse the characters are. Especially Kat. I'm Filipino, so I always love when I see that there's a Filipino character in a book. And the author mentioned pancit and furniture covered in plastic? All for it.

That's pretty much all I liked about this book. The main thing that I disliked--and the most important thing--is the protagonist, Mason. And when the main character is the problem, it just makes the whole reading experience unpleasant. There's one word that describes Mason for me. Bland. Just bland. There was nothing that jumped out at me about his character, and the whole time, he felt like a very passive character. Things just happened to him, and I always felt like he did little to nothing.

Next, his friends. Ugh. Frankly, I felt he needed better friends. Most were frustrating and some felt unnecessary. There were so many juggled around that I didn't really feel like I got to know any of them. His friends seemed to pass by in the book and didn't really serve any major importance to moving the story along. They were just there.

Last thing, which is just me being nitpicky. I was not a fan of how the book started. I felt like I was thrown into this chaos with so many things around me and so many characters that I couldn't keep track of. It immediately starts with Mason just talking and talking about his life, his family, and his friends. A lot of telling. I just didn't feel like I had a chance to catch my breath or even remember everyone that he's talking about.

4/10

[Lala · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVED IT! This was my fave Martin book to date. I just recently discovered her books and i've been devouring them so quickly. Great writing, great story and I love that she's canadian :P There isn't much I can say except that this was an easy read, Martin gets your attention quickly and the story just flows from there. Mason was adorable and I loved being in his head. At times he felt older than his sixteen years but the story still worked. And the ending, perfect!

[Joelzie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Wasn't a fan, the relationship between Colette and mason was a little interesting and Brianna was an interesting character to read but it all just seemed bitchy and surface level of character complexities.
I skimmed, not a good sign.
I'm disappointed because I thought I would really enjoy it but I just never really cared about the characters.

[Ari · Rating 4 out of 5]

I saw the cover of this book and for some odd reason I thought it was about two poc. I now realize Mason is white and the brown-skin belongs to Kat. Who knows what I was thinking. I also didn't know the story took place in Canada. I was completely confused when Mason said he only had a year and a half till he left home since y'know, in the U.S. it would be two years. Not that this bothered me, the story was a great one. I do wish that Kat had been better developed. I guess since Kat was trying to stay away from Mason, it's harder to show her personality. I wanted to understand why Mason was so enamored with her but since his contact with her was limited in this book, I never got a grasp as to why he thought she was so special. She didn't handle the situation well, but that made the book more realistic. I could understand why she felt so flustered after she lost her virginity to Mason. That's a bit awkward, especially since they weren't dating. I didn't understand Brianna's deal either. Brianna is Mason's new stepsister and I wasn't sure if she just hated life in general or if she was mad that her mom married Mason's dad? I needed some more glimpses into her life. I also would have liked more about Mason's friends. He seemed to keep them all at a distance which was interesting.

I love that it's about a guy who's living a fantasy, getting involved with a sexy older woman. I love that Colette knows Mason's 'living the dream' and she doesn't mind. well I don't love it per se, I love that it's being addressed. I like that the author is so unflinching in writing about it. There's no moral undertone to this story, everything is just reported. This is how Mason feels, this is what Colette says, etc. There's no grand explosion in the end and I appreciated that. The consequences of the relationship aren't ignored, there are consequences but nothing drastic happens. I was worried that this book would be very high-drama but it was low-key, much like Mason and Colette's relationship. There are no graphic sex scenes but they are portrayed. After all, would anyone really expect Mason and Colette not to have sex? Their relationship starts off as being focused on the good times, but it does get complex. There are significant others in both their lives and what they are doing, while not illegal, is frowned upon. I like the added situation of Mason having to adjust his home situation. Mason's parents are divorced and for years it's been just him and his dad. Now he has to accept that his father is getting re-married to a woman with a pre-teen and a young kid. It's a big adjustment and on the surface Mason seems to take it in stride. On the surface only.

The Lighter Side of Life and Death is indeed about situations that are a lot easier to deal with than life and death (drugs, death of family members, etc). The author doesn't mock the issues teenagers face or try to show that there are simple solutions to our problems. it's complicated, but in this story at least, teens can handle it. There's a great distinction between love and lust and the author makes that clear. Mason has to find that out for himself though. The 'i-love-yous' aren't traded until the very end, as it should be. The book could use further secondary character development but the book mostly focuses on Mason and Colette, and those two are at their fullest potential. Their relationship is one of fun and doubt. The reader (like Mason) knows it won't work out, but that doesn't make this any less of a notable tale and I got caught up in it all. Plus there's an added bonus of the story being set in Canada, a country that was quite foreign to me.

[Kari · Rating 5 out of 5]

The premise if this book is what first caught my attention besides the title, luring me in with the older woman theme but without a large age gap. Only six years apart, Mason and Colette can still find some common ground, allowing one to mature and the other to air on the side of reckless abandon, creating an enduring dynamic. Though this relationship forms the primary basis of the plot, Mason’s interactions with his and family are also dominant, showing smoothly and efficiently both sides of his world after things begin to unravel on what he thought was the perfect night.

Mason is a very well rounded, developed character. Easy going and friendly, Mason gets along with most anyone and rolls with the punches smoothly for the most part. Though he does have his hang ups and his moments of frustration with a few outbursts mixed it, for the most part, Mason is able to take the high road and bow out of things gracefully. Martin has blended him masterfully, creating a very likeable character even in the moments where he is a jerk or leaning closer to immaturity. His reactions to things are very realistic for both the character she’s created and the age. He may be mature, but there is still a certain mindset and level of things he simply cannot comprehend in the same way a 23 year old would, or even a parent.

Colette, for the most part, is cast in a positive light predominantly as a result of the reader seeing things in Mason’s perspective. Where his best friend turned her back, Colette opens up to him despite her reservations. Where one sexual experience ended in hurt, another ignites him and creates a fire in him, even opening his eyes. There are several positive things that come out of Mason’s relationship with Colette, at least in his biased eyes, and Martin portrays this seamlessly.

This book portrays a mostly adult situation on a teenage level, including both sides of the scenario. Partly to keep the excitement going and because there was, of course, an inherent social taboo to the relationship, Mason keeps his interactions with Colette a secret. Though the premise is straight forward, an air of mystery lingers throughout while the reader questions if people will find out, if the relationship will work, and what will ultimately happen. I thoroughly enjoyed this aspect of the book, falling into the world built easily. Sex, of course, is a part of this story but the related scenes are don't tastefully and serve a point, showing Colette and Mason’s relationship as well as building Mason overall.

There were several ways this book could have played out and Martin chose a very sturdy path for it, leaving a lasting effect on the reader. Her ultimate ending is bittersweet and though there were a few small hold ups I did have, overall, this was a tremendous job on a scenario that blends the lines between adult and teenage. Mason’s actions are both shocking and understandable and he is certainly a memorable character. Martin’s writing is strong, showing strongly Mason’s frame of mind while still painting an overall picture of the events happening.

[Lesley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Posted on http://mykeepershelf.blogspot.com/201...

I wasn't entirely sure what to expect when I started reading The Lighter Side of Life and Death, from the blurb is sounds like a sixteen year old boys dream scenario of having an affair with an older woman (cougar alert) which in a way it was, but the way it was written by c.k. kelly martin just made the story so much more and it didn't feel particularly sordid or distasteful at any point.

Sixteen year old Mason has a "perfect" one night stand with his best friend Kat who he has secretly been in love with for years. Next day it's actually Kat who wants to forget it all happened leaving Mason completely confused and results both in their friendship ending and major awkwardness at the school lunch table. Twenty three year old Colette enters the picture, she is a friend of a friend of Mason's soon to be step mother and they sort of slowly end up in a relationship.

What I like the most about this book was that the author is never overtly judgemental, either about Colette or Kat and doesn't portray Mason as the gullible victim in the situation. It would be easy to be outraged at Colette who at 23 and who has a "sort of" boyfriend on the scene already ends up in a sexual relationship with a 16 year old man-boy. Colette does have doubts and she does know that their relationship would be frowned upon which is why it's all very secretive. It's very awkward when Mason doesn't want to ride his bike over to Colette's house as he doesn't want to highlight his age even more to Colette in fear that she will end it all. It's also very awkward when they are holding hands in the street and bump into someone Mason knows. There is none of the woo hoo I'm having it off with an older woman type behaviour that I probably expected from a teenage boy, Mason is actually quite mature about it all.

Ultimately, although the story didn't seem sordid, I couldn't quite figure out why a 23 year old woman would want to spend any time with a 16 year old boy never mind have a relationship with one, I mean Mason was nice but ultimately he is 16.

I didn't sympathise much with Kat either, she runs hot and cold with Mason and despite my head saying she would be a better girlfriend for Mason as she's his age, I wasn't entirely convinced about her. I think this might be down to the fact she is absent from most of the story.

The part that surprised me the most was Mason's fathers very understanding acceptance of his relationship with Colette. Even knowing that the relationship was ending he took it all a little too well for my liking. I would have grounded him and took his bike off him and his PlayStation! I know for a fact as a parent I would not have been so understanding and there would have been a lot of shouting.

c.k. kelly martin (why the absence of capital's in the name? I dunno) is obviously an amazing writer. Mason was a fantastically realistic character and martin seems to really get into the inner working of a teenage boy's head and get it down on paper beautifully. I have a few c.k. kelly martin books to now catch up on.

[Audrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

full review on my blog, holes In My brain

This book is good. It’s really good. I can see the appeal of CK Kelly Martin now, I think her writing is more about the voice and the character than telling the story in a step by step manner. She pinpoints Mason’s voice from the very first page and fleshes him out as things get complicated making him one of the best male voices I’ve read in a while**. I loved how realistic he seemed, and what I loved even more is that Martin didn’t rely on some sort of crutch to shape his character. He’s not the runaway kid, the grieving brother, etc. He’s just a boy—he’s complicated, hormonal, confused, and authentic.

I thought Kat and Colette were respectable counterparts. I found myself sympathizing with Kat and never hating on Colette, which I think in itself created a complex dynamic that enhanced the reading experience. I liked the supporting characters and I found them all shine brighter because of Mason’s narration***.

It feels pathetic but I need to say it anyway. “I just like you more than you like me. It happens.”

THIS. I thought this relationship was the part that Martin really nailed (excuse the pun. No seriously, get you head out of the gutter) because it is such a slim line between believable and lame and I thought all of Mason’s actions, from his forced-aloof-ness to his desperation to exude maturity… totally believable.

That said, the plot was also the part I had a hard time buying into. I felt that yes, it did tell a story but it lacked… something. I can’t figure out what, but I found myself at the end thinking “so what?” instead of “wow”. Martin had wonderfully explored the shades of grey in relationships (family and friends as well as ‘romance/lust’) but I felt along the way the plot got… murky. Like it got lost along the way only to be fished out at random places.

Lastly, I just wanted to touch on the subplots, and how awesomesauce they are. Friendships and new families were never cakewalks, and overall, I think Martin handled them very well.

4/5 – because there is so much good stuff, but I didn’t fall in love with it. I really loved Mason’s voice and the whole-ness of his character. I thought Martin tackled tricky themes really well and I liked the vibe of the book, if you get what I mean. I was never really fully invested in the plot though, and I thought the overall story did lack a bit of oomph. However, I can’t deny that this is a solid upper-YA**** book that has put CK Kelly Martin on my author-radar.


**speaking of male POVs, you guys should really read Split by Swati Avasthi—dude, that book is still floating inside my brain.
***he actually abbreviates his friends’ names! Yoanda and Zoe became Y and Z, which I dunno, I found really awesome.
****not intended for younger audiences.

[Kristyna · Rating 2 out of 5]

I can’t remember what initially attracted me to The Lighter Side of Life and Death by C.K. Kelly Martin, but I heard rave reviews about the author. This is the first book I’ve read by this author, and I was impressed and disappointed at the same time.

This story has an interesting, dynamic concept. A high school boy loses his virginity to his life-long crush, but she wants to forget it happened. So, what does he do? He starts hooking up with a 23-year-old woman. I enjoyed this idea — from a distance. It would be like me hooking up with a 16-year-old. Ugh. *shivers* I was torn between fascination and disgust, but for the most part I just accepted it.

Martin did an amazing job creating and portraying the main character, Mason. I can see why people rave about her ability to create a distinct voice. I found Mason to be completely believable even though he’s a male voice written by a female author. His emotions were spot on especially for his age and the circumstances he was dealt. I may not have agreed with his decisions, but I thoroughly enjoyed Mason as a character.

My biggest issue with this book was the lack of action. The writing was there, the story was there, but there wasn’t any action. It read like a fictional memoir even though it was told in present tense. It was extremely realistic, but perhaps too realistic. Real life is rarely as exciting as the fictional adventures we embark on. I was engaged throughout the entire book but at the end I just thought, “Huh, okay.” It didn’t leave an impression; it didn’t make me think or make me want to change the world. Even more baffling, is the title. What does life and death have to do with borderline-statutory rape? There weren’t any deep character monologues about the meaning of life and death, and certainly nothing “light.” It just confused me.

The story unraveled very slowly with attention to detail. However, there were some details that were highlighted throughout the book that made me think something horrible was going to happen, but nothing ever came of it. I think it’s always good practice to avoid such random details if it amounts to nothing in the story; it distracts the reader.

I’m not sure if I would recommend this book. It’s a short, easy read with a well-developed main character, but it’s by no means exciting. If you’re into contemporary lit, this might be your thing. I appreciate this book for what it is, but I don’t think I will read anything else by Martin. I like to escape to other worlds when I read; I don’t like to be reminded of real, mundane life where answers don’t come easy and everything is complicated.

Read More Reviews at Note To Selph Book Reviews

[Kelsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Surprisingly, The Lighter Side of Life and Death was my first CK Kelly Martin novel. I've had it sitting on my TBR pile for quite awhile now and I'm so glad I finally picked it up. It was definitely different than I was expecting but it was a refreshing change from all the female POVs I've been reading lately.

To begin with, Mason was a character that I just had to like right away. His warm and easy going personality just made him an extremely likable main character from the start. Mason's life was definitely not easy though. His parents are divorced and he lives with his father who's new girlfriend and her two kids are moving in. Mason's dad was very casual and let Mason have a lot of freedoms, plus he was distracted with his girlfriend and her kids. Mason has a lot of friends that I liked and all of them have pretty big roles in the story, especially Kat Medina. When Mason loses his virginity to Kat one night, their friendship, and Mason's life, will never be the same. Kat doesn't talk to him much anymore and he's having a really hard time letting her go and forgetting what they did. Now, this isn't even the major plot line. When 23 year old Colette enters the picture, Mason's life, friends (even Kat), and family are basically forgotten. Mason and Colette's relationship is almost purely physical and their meetings are a tight secret.

From the start I didn't like Colette. She lured in and flirted with Mason until he was under her spell and as the adult she should have known how wrong it was to get involved with a sixteen year old- no matter how much she cared for him. The sex scenes in The Lighter Side of Life and Death were pretty detailed and appear fairly often. Nothing too bad for older readers, but I wouldn't recommend this to anyone under 13 or 14.

I did like Kat and she was obviously the right girl for Mason. Not only was she sweet and a good friend, she was actually his age. All the characters in this novel were well developed and we got to learn a lot about all of them as the novel progressed. Mason especially learned a lot about himself and who he truly carted for and wanted in his life.

The plot was filled with a variety of sub plots. Not only Mason's two relationships, but also things involving his friends and family.

CK Kelly Martin is a great writer and she crafted a truly original and fast paced third novel. Mason, even though he might have made some bad choices, was a fantastic main character and it's hard not to like him. Martin did a fantastic job of getting into the head of a teenage boy and making him seem entirely realistic. I can't wait to read more by CK Kelly Martin!

Overall: 4 out of 5 stars

[Say · Rating 4 out of 5]

stories on cougar relationships always fascinates me, i mean will the older woman fall for the younger guy? will their circle of friends approve it? how will the story end? and a lot of questions more. well, reading this book definitely entertained me in that department.

this is a story of mason who just had the most wonderful time of his life....well, almost. after an amazing performance of his life (he's in a play, btw) and doing it with his best friend kat medina (love the girl, well the name and origins only....she has the same last name as mine =) and she's from the philippines like me....yeah!) only in the end to be avoided by kat as if nothing happened. lesson #1: do not and i mean DO NOT do it with a friend, a close friend at that....or rather hell your best friend for that matter "the deed" if you are under the influence of alcohol because when you wake up in the morning (or in their case after a few hours) you will DEFINITELY regret it. lesson #2: if ever you failed to follow lesson #1, well suffer the consequences because besides regretting it....when you see each other again in the morning, well it will be awkward and the friendship is tarnished. so, what would a boy like mason do? tip#1: hook up with a girl 7 years older than you. and tip #2: when you see your best friend? act like nothing happened (hey, i got an older much hotter "woman" now.

what i love about this story was it was written tastefully. the hook ups between collette and mason was i not tacky but in a way cute. they were not all over each other. in a way collette was i should say gentle with mason, waiting for him to be ready actually asking him if he's ready (mind you they didnt do it right there and there). reading this i know that in the end that collette and mason will never end up together mainly because of the following reasons:

1. well, there's the age difference
2. collette is in the same circle of friends as his step mom (his dad married a younger woman)
3. collette is in this stage of uncertainty wherein she doesnt know what the difference from things she wants and things she actually need, and of course there's a guy. of course there is always a guy.
4. mason is in euphoria with his relationship with collette and he thinks he loves her since they are having good sex. mistaking good sex for love....a no no if you want a steady relationship

well having said this i know you have already a notion of what happens in the end....i may say it's a good ending. =)

[Precious · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally posted at Fragments of Life.

In the YA world that’s dominated by heroines, Mason’s narrative was a breath of fresh air. I found his confused state, as well as everything he felt, very realistic and natural for a teenage guy. After living the best day of his life – delivering a great performance, enjoying the best party of the year, and losing his virginity to his best friend and crush, Kat – lady luck seemed to grow tired of him and waltzed out of his life.

What I loved most about The Lighter Side of Life and Death was the emotional chaos that ensued. It was one wild tangle of love, attraction, lust, yearning, jealousy and confusion. It reminded me of how my classmates acted when I was in high school. The fact that this novel reminded me of those years was a success in the part of the author. She delivered the right feelings through Mason. Mason’s family was an imperfect one with a great amount of conflicts and friction. I found their interaction very strained, barely okay. But it reflected the difficulty of adjusting to other people and accepting them as part of the family.

To be honest, I was annoyed at Kat and yet I could not blame her for how she reacted. She has been best friends with Mason and Jamie for years. Both of the guys have been crushing on her for a while. Jamie was angry at Mason and had been evading him. Each conversation and interaction with Kat became more and more strained.

After meeting the sexy 23-year-old Colette, who also happened to be his stepmom’s sister’s best friend, he was undeniably drawn. I loved every bit of their forbidden love. Without being graphic, Martin still delivered the hot and steamy quality of the scenes. But it was a relationship without commitments – just sex and good times. To some extent, it made me sad for Mason. To have something that would never last and to know that he was not as important to her as she was to him must be hurtful.

The Lighter Side of Life and Death is a realistic take on the life of a teenager. It bared the flaws, the inexperienced and confused stage of a teen, as well as the strong desires that came with it. The amazing writing coupled with the easy-to-read narrative got me reading on until morning. Martin’s concept was an ordinary one. But I loved how she made this extraordinary by giving life to the characters and sewing heartfelt emotions in it.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once again, C.K Kelly Martin has written a complex and gripping novel etched with honesty and realism. The Lighter Side Of Life And Death revolves around Mason as he deals with many new obstacles in his life that have been presented. Like Martin's other novels, there is much more to this book than the summary dictates. As well as the lust that surrounds Mason's relationship with Colette, there are also family and friend conflicts that manifest that add substance and complexity to the characters, especially Mason, the sixteen year old protagonist.

I am a huge fan of C.K. Kelly Martin and look forward to all of her novels. Much like her past two books, I read The Lighter Side Of Life And Death rather quickly, engrossed in the happenings of Mason's life. I'd never read a YA novel that dealt with extreme lust between an older character- in this case Colette- and a much younger one. I have to say the entire situation kept me on edge while reading. I had no idea what was going to result from such a "relationship" and of course, I feared for Mason as I didn't know if he and Colette would be called out, their affair uncovered and so on. This book gets pretty hot and heavy in parts but I admire the author's honesty in portraying what fit and needed to be detailed given the specific story line.

Although I enjoyed this book, it wasn't my favourite. I found it beyond interesting but the main story line between Mason and Colette just did not click for me. My favourite aspects of this novel actually dealt with Mason and his budding problems with Kat and his friend Jamie as well as the conflict between him and his new live in step family.

I also have to commend Martin once more for writing so perfectly through the mind of a teenage boy. She captures them wonderfully and accurately which makes reading through their perspective that much more enjoyable.

Overall: The Lighter Side Of Life And Death incorporated familiar concepts in YA literature such a family and friends but with a twist and emphasis placed on lust and a risky relationship. It definitely keeps you engrossed.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Lighter Side of Life and Death is a great book about a boy's life. It touches on relationships between friends, family, and couples. The male POV is well-written and the characterization is amazing too.

POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD

Mason is a good guy, easy to get along with, but still having some problems with people. He is struggling with his feelings for his best friend, Kat Medina. When they end up sleeping together after a party, he is happy because he thinks she might finally return his feelings. Unfortunately for him, she decides to ignore him and she refuses to talk about that night. Mason is really confused and doesn't know why she's acting this way.

Mason's relationship with Colette is well-written into the story. She is friend's with his new stepmother's sister, and he meets her at the wedding shower. He immediately feels attracted to her when he starts talking to her, so he makes an effort to meet her other times. He has had his heart broken by Kat, so he is determined to make a relationship between him and Colette work. When he first starts running into her at different places, she thinks he is stalking her, and she is reluctant to start any kind of relationship with him. She is twenty-three, and he is sixteen, so she thinks that is too much of an age difference. Six years isn't that big an age gap, but he is still in high school, and she is an adult. Eventually, she gives in and they begin a relationship. This relationship between them is very well-done.

The relationship between Mason and his family members is also well-done. His dad sometimes gets mad at him for things Mason says to his stepsister, but they have a pretty good relationship. They've been on their own together for many years. His stepmother, Nina, seems like she cares about Mason and wants him to get along well with her kids. Brianna is Mason's 13-year-old stepsister, and she doesn't seem to like Mason that much. They have a few good moments, though. Burke, Mason's younger stepbrother, is a sweet kid who gets along well with his new stepbrother, Mason.

If you like YA contemporary from the male POV, read this book.

[Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This review was originally posted on my blog, Ramblings of a Daydreamer. You can find it, and many more reviews at the blog.

The Lighter Side of Life and Death reads kind of like a journal to me. It’s told from Mason’s perspective, and I have to say I love reading books that are told from a guy’s perspective. You get a totally different outlook on life, sex, friendship, and family. But in The Lighter Side of Life and Death, the reader gets a lot of minutiae, which is why it reads like a journal to me.

Not a lot happens in the story. Mason has quite a bit of depth, but I didn’t feel like there was much character development. I wasn’t able to connect with any of the other characters - they sort of felt like random extras who were thrown in when it was convenient to move the story along. The pacing was very slow, and even though the book was only 231 pages, it took me four days to read it because I just couldn’t get that interested.

One thing I liked was that it explored something that’s considered taboo - a relationship between a teenager and an older woman. Even though there was only a seven-year age gap between Mason and Colette, Mason was only sixteen, which makes their affair pretty scandalous. I kept waiting for it to get really exciting and maybe even shocking, but again, it was kind of bogged down in the minutiae. I’ll admit there were parts that were pretty sexy, and it was even more interesting because it was from a guy’s perspective. Mason was sort of obsessive where Colette was concerned, but it wasn’t in a ridiculous teenage boy way - he was pretty mature about it, and I appreciated that.

Overall, I didn’t love this book, but I didn’t hate it either. It was original, had a believable storyline with a great, authentic narrative voice, but it got bogged down in the details. If you’re a fan of stories that are almost journal-like in their day-to-day happenings, and if you like contemporary young adult, especially from a male POV, consider giving The Lighter Side of Life and Death a try.

[Liz at Midnight Bloom Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first time reading a novel by Martin, but wow, has she ever left an impression. I'll admit, I was a bit wary to begin reading the novel so I kept putting it off, but finally, I grabbed it and just began... and I'm glad I did. In some ways, The Lighter Side of Life and Death was exactly the kind of book I expected it to be- a teen romance which goes awry with the main lead needing a distraction to get over it- but it was also so much more than that.

With honest storytelling, Martin writes with a bluntness that never strays far from the truth. She tells things for what they are, the good and the bad, allowing readers to get right into the mindset of a sixteen -year-old teenage boy.

Mason thought he just had the best night of his life. His performance in the school play was stellar and best of all, he's just lost his virginity to his beautiful, best friend Kat Medina, who he's been secretly in love with for years. But Kat doesn't see things quite like Mason. In fact, she wants to pretend the night never happened and is now avoiding him. Crushed, Mason finds himself lost and depressed. His other best friend, Jamie, had feelings for Kat too and is mad at him, and Mason's father will be remarrying soon. Then, Mason meets twenty-three-year-old Colette, immediately seeming to hit it off with the older woman. Before Mason knows it, he'll be even more lost than he was before.

The language and mature content in this novel would be more suitable for older teens and adults. Martin isn't afraid to write about sex, and yes, it does happen several times in the novel... and not the glossed over version that most YA novels would have done. She gets all the emotions, all the descriptions, all the thoughts that a boy would be thinking- and isn't afraid to shy away from writing about it.

Martin pushes the boundaries in YA lit, giving you a novel that's both edgy and emotionally-charged at the same time.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

When 16-year-old Mason loses his virginity to his friend Kat, the girl he's had a crush on forever, he's elated. He thinks that sharing this experience will move their relationship to a deeper level, but unfortunately, that's not what happens... Instead, Kat won't even make eye contact with him, his best friend (who also had a crush on Kat) is hurt by their betrayal, and somehow, the whole school knows exactly what happened. Hurt and confused by Kat's rejection, when 23-year-old Colette flirts with him, Mason flirts right back, but as things start to heat up with Colette, he feels torn between his desire for her and his unresolved feelings for Kat.

I've never been a teenage boy, so I could be totally wrong, but I feel like Martin really nailed Mason's voice & character: mature, but also a little selfish, horny but not crude, a nice guy who sometimes acts like a jerk, etc. She also does a great job with Colette, showing the reader through off-hand comments and Mason's observations why a grown woman could possibly want to be with someone who doesn't even have his driver's license yet. Kat is depicted mostly as an attractive enigma, but that makes perfect sense since Mason obviously has no idea what's going on in her head.

The book isn't overly judgemental; there's a feeling that Mason & Colette's relationship isn't a good idea, but not because it's wrong, just because it's probably not going to work out. But then again, how many relationships do? Everyone has issues, and this story is all about characters trying to work theirs out. Sometimes they succeed, sometimes they fail. Just like real life.

Good for older teens (guys or girls) who want realistic fiction or edgy, non-traditional romance.

[Stacia (the 2010 club) · Rating 2 out of 5]

I skim read this one. There wasn't much going on other than the plot following around one guy who was trying to sort out relationship issues. After an awkward experience isolates him from a good friend, he turns to an older woman and starts to internally obsess over her a little. The age difference is a sure sign that nothing is permanent, and the book ends back at square one, with him starting over with the first girl.

The book was pretty one-note. The inclusion of the new step-family didn't really add much to the book, other than to show that all teens have issues they're dealing with. It was as if that part was suppose to give credibility to the fact that the main character was doing much of nothing other than sleeping around and obsessing over every girl he came in contact with (which is perfectly normal, but I can't say it makes for an interesting story).

I'm not opposed to teen sex in books. In fact, I like well-done realistic sex in books because it's just a fact of life. Maybe in this instance, I wasn't sure what the whole point was, other than to make no point at all. Teens have hookups and teens can go through painful breakups. I get that. The story itself didn't really bring anything new or interesting to the table. Maybe I just felt like I'd read a better version of this story before in Baumgartner Generations: Henry - which was erotica, but at least in that instance the basic story was made a bit more fun with the detailed sex. Hey, if that's going to make up a big part of what's going on, you might as well get your money's worth.

[Jennifer Wardrip · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reviewed by Jaglvr for TeensReadToo.com

On the night after a great performance in his high school play, Mason Rice finds himself having a wonderful time celebrating. Little did he expect to find himself having sex with his best friend, Kat. He's always been attracted to Kat, but so has their other best friend, Jamie. Which is the main reason why neither guy has ever made a play for Kat. No one wanted to mess up their solid friendship.

But the aftermath of their encounter effects all of their mutual friendships. Mason finds himself cast into the unknown and discovers how lonely he is. So he is taken by surprise when he meets Colette, a friend of his future step-mother. Though Colette is only in her early 20's, it's a wide gap from Mason's sixteen years.

Soon, Mason and Colette are "running into each other" at a local coffee shop. It isn't long before they are meeting secretly at Colette's apartment. From the beginning, Colette and Mason admit it can never be anything more than it is. But that doesn't stop them from taking things further. Mason knows there's another guy in Colette's life, but he doesn't care. Or does he?

As the spring of Mason's school year is winding down, Mason comes to terms with what is happening around him, and he forces himself to confront his friends and the situation he currently is in.

The title, THE LIGHTER SIDE OF LIFE AND DEATH, leads the reader to believe that the story will be just that - "light." But there is a deeper story between the covers that the reader will discover as they venture into Mason's turbulent life. As with other works by Ms. Martin, the story is deep and real and heartfelt.