Forgotten: Seventeen and Homeless

Secrets #1

by Melody Carlson

With absent parents, overdue rent, and no one to turn to, Adele is forced into the hard, cold world of homelessness. While striving to maintain the pretense of a “normal” life, Adele attempts to finish high school, all the while concealing her secret. But is she strong enough to keep up the act?

Forgotten will propel teen readers into a world where promises are broken, life is not fair, and challenges seem unbearable, while still offering assurance that solid faith, loyal friends, and a persistent spirit will prevail.

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

197 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 1996

About the author

Melody Carlson is the award-winning author of over two hundred books, several of them Christmas novellas from Revell, including her much-loved and bestselling book, The Christmas Bus.

She also writes many teen books, including the Diary of a Teenage Girl series, the TrueColors series, and the Carter House Girls series.

Melody was nominated for a Romantic Times Career Achievement Award in the inspirational market for her books, including the Notes from a Spinning Planet series and Finding Alice, which is in production as a Lifetime Television movie. She and her husband serve on the Young Life adult committee in central Oregon.

Reviews

[Lindsey (Books for Christian Girls) · Rating 3 out of 5]

About this book:

“With MIA parents, overdue rent, and no one to turn to, Adele is forced out of her home. She strives to maintain the pretense of a “normal” life while struggling to finish high school, all the while concealing that she is homeless. But is she strong enough to keep up the act?
Every teenage girl has a secret. And every teenage girl loves hearing someone else’s secret. But some secrets are big enough to detour, derail, or even destroy a young person’s life. Each of Melody Carlson’s Secrets novels will propel readers into a world where promises are broken, life is not fair, and challenges can make or break them, while ultimately helping readers discover that solid faith, loyal friends, and a persistent spirit will see them through.”


Series: Book #1 in the “Secrets” series.


Spiritual Content- A couple Prayers; Church going & a sermon; A mission home & talking to a pastor; Talks about God, trusting, & peace; ‘H’s are not capital when referring to God; Adele isn’t so sure about God, but doesn’t think He believes in her; Mentions of church & sermons; A few mentions of praying; A couple mentions of a Bible & a picture of Jesus; A couple mentions of Christians; A mention of a youth group; A mention of Sunday School;
*Note: A few mentions of karma; A mention of a foster home “from hell”.



Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘cruddy’, a ‘duh’, a ‘freaking’, an ‘idiot’, a form of ‘wimp’, a ‘witch’, and seven forms of ‘stupid’; Sarcasm & eye rolling; Mentions of curses (said, not written); Thinking about suicide & dying (twice, but she doesn’t do it); Trying to fit in, jealousy, & lying; Many mentions of smoking dope, drug dealers, & highs (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of Adele’s father who left (she calls him a “deadbeat dad”); Mentions of Adele’s parents who are divorced; Mentions of alcohol, drinking, & drunks; Mentions of cigarettes & smoking; A few mentions of a serial killer; A mention of gambling; A mention of a middle-figure salute;
*Note: Mentions of brand names (Banana Republic, Gap, Nine West, Express, Ralph Lauren, Valentino, Gucci, Channel, and Prada); A mention of Starbucks.


Sexual Content- two barely-above-not-detailed kisses, and two boarder-line barely-above-not-detailed // semi-detailed kisses; Remembering a kiss (barely-above-not-detailed); Hand holding & embraces (barely-above-not-detailed); Adele mentions that she was nearly raped twice while in foster care; two ‘hooker’s and three forms of ‘hot’; Mentions of “working girls” & prostitutes; Mentions of hand holding & embraces; Mentions of dating, crushes, & jealousy; Mentions of homecoming & dates; Mentions of flirting; Mentions of a girl changing & bathing in a public restroom (no details besides a mention of her being topless); A couple mentions of a girl’s boyfriend moving in with her; A mention of creeps expecting sex from teen girls & a girl trading her body for money; A mention of skanky invitation; A mention of pole dancing;
*Note: A few mentions of anorexia & diets; A couple mentions of figures & Dolly Parton’s chest.


-Adele Porter, age 17
1st person P.O.V. of Adele
197 pages

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- One Star
Early High School Teens- Two Stars
Older High School Teens- Three Stars
My personal Rating- Two Stars (and a half)
{Add a ½ star for girls in Public School}
I read this book soon after I read “Wreath” by Judy Christie. Both books were very similar, but I have to be honest and say I enjoyed “Wreath” more than “Forgotten”. While I liked this one decently, it seemed too wrapped-up in a nice bow, if you get what I mean. I personally felt like what the back of the book talks about didn’t come in until 60 pages from the end, so it was laid out differently. Overall it was just okay, but not the author’s best, in my opinion.


Link to review:
https://booksforchristiangirls.blogsp...


*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.

[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5*

[Carissa (Regency Woman) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adele's mom is bipolar. And there's nothing wrong with that. It's a genuine illness that can be treated with proper medication, but can still cause disruptions. It's not really the fault of the individual, it's just life. But for Adele, she wishes for the umpteenth time that her mom could be normal and at least hold a job. She has her college education in a solid field, could bring in a good paycheck, but she just can't focus. All of Adele's hopes when her mom relocated them for her new job go flying out the window when her mom disappears on her with a new boyfriend. She literally abandons her daughter and the facade that Adele has created at her new school, reinventing herself as one of the cool kids, is suddenly in jeopardy. She can't pay the rent, but it kills her to think of losing the new friends she's just made, especially Jayden who she can't help but notice resembles Jude Law. So she keeps up the pretense. At least she has a job, albeit not one that pays enough. But the day comes when the eviction notice is hammered on the door to her condo and her key no longer fits in the lock. Forgotten, living out of her mom's boyfriend's equally abandoned van, Adele tries to make the best of a bad situation, being homeless at seventeen. Is God even listening, and if He is, does he care?

I finally got around to reading the 1st book in Melody Carlson's Secrets and I'm impressed with the strong start she made. The only weak link in the series is Deceived, book #5 I think, about the cults. At least so far. Adele is a tough kid and while she might be down and out, there are certain things to which she will not stoop. And just when hopelessness starts to steal her soul, God steps in and gives her a way out. That's the beauty of this series and while some might find it cliche, I do believe God works in the lives of the downhearted and mistreated. He truly cares and Adele finds that when she reaches the end of her rope, there are people, loving people from God, who are there to catch her when she falls. This book teaches young people to care about those around them and not always jump to the worst conclusion about their peers. When someone is down and out, help them instead of trample them further into the mud. Well done, Melody, another winner!

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am not sure how to write the review for this book.On the one hand this was a book I couldn't put down. The main character was very easy to relate to. When Adele's mom just walks off and leaves her your heart can't help but break for this young lady.
Adele is a very determined young lady who has more often than not had to play the parental role in her family. So when her mom gets a job in a new town she hopes things might be changing. She starts her senior year at a new school where she is actually befriended by one of the popular cliques, a group of kids who have come from money and don't have to worry. Before long Adele's mom quits her job and starts bringing a druggie home. Adele becomes consumed with keeping her new friends from knowing the truth about her home life, and when Adele's mom abandons her and then Adele is kicked out of her apartment she isn't sure how she will keep up with the charade.
Can Adele survive and finish her school year, and will she finally figure out that there are people willing to help if she will only let them?
I loved this story actually read in in about an hour, I found it to be a real thought provoking story, the story of homelessness and how people actually become homeless is something we don't often think about.
Now for the problem I had with this book. What happened to Adele's mom? We aren't told. Also what about Adele's dad? He is barely touched on. But the greatest issue is how the book ended. Throughout the book the story seems so believable, you can relate to whats going on in Adele's life, but then the author wraps the story up with an ending that really wasn't believable at all, and does it in a couple of pages.
Overall I am glad that I read this book and will find a teen to pass it on to.

I was provided a copy of this book to review by the publisher but in no way does it alter my opinion of this book.

[Jax O · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are not a believer or seeker of the Lord this may not particularly be the book for you. If you are a believer this is an awesome reminder of the power of the Lord, and if you are a seeker this is an awesome opportunity for you to be moved. It is a chance at beginning to understand the Lord, and where he might just fit into your life. Forgotten is actually in the young adult genre, but I feel that this is a read for any Christian. This is a excellent example to the younger generation of His Power, as well as, a look at the life of this incredible 17 year old that finds herself in a nightmare. Over night Adele is stranded no home, no money, and no mother. I find this story to be heartfelt and gut wrenching. As a parent I was overcome by some much emotion toward Adele and her mother. At times such as these, it is hard to sit back and believe that there is a plan. Our responsibility is to believe in God’s plan, and pray that he will look out for this young girl in her time of need. As if being stranded and alone was not enough, this story continues a downward spiral that leaves her without her job, her savings, and the vehicle she had resorted to sleeping in. I never thought that this story could get any worse, but it appears I was very very wrong. Not only did that story tremendously move me, but I found myself reflecting on the story and relating it to my own life. While I am not a seventeen year old, nor an I homeless I believe that out of this very complex story everyone will find a way to reflect on their relationship with our Lord and Savior. I believe that you will find yourself one step closer to fully understanding your relationship with the Lord.

[Christy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novel shares a heart-wrenching story about a teenager with a loser mom and a runaway dad. While most of us don't have to deal with the drama of deadbeat parents, we probably even less have thoughts of having to live on the street or out of our cars. I cannot imagine what it must be like to be totally alone and homeless, I really give Adele a lot of credit for sticking it out as long as she did before turning to the only One who would be able to change her life.

The biggest lesson that I took away from this book was that lies always find you out in the end. In Adele's case, one of her "so-called" friends discovered the truth on her own, leaving Adele to fess up to her lies and the consequences. And poor girl, just when she decided to start being honest, she got another realization of just how unfair life sometimes is.

The only thing I didn't like about this book was the ending. I didn't like that it ended up "several months later," and instead, would've liked some of the first portion of the book to have been shortened just a bit to allow for a more fleshed out conclusion.

Other than that, I thought this was another excellent book perfect for teenagers that's got a lot of lessons on honesty and genuineness. I'm anxious to see what the rest of the Secrets series has in store.

[Tara Chevrestt · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very well written YA book that I think adults will enjoy as well. The first person POV works great for this type of tale.

Adele is seventeen and her mom is bipolar. Her mom gets a new job and swears her life is going to change and so they move to a new town. Adele actually starts thinking maybe life will be good from now on. She makes friends with the "in" crowd at school, starts dating a cute guy, and all that high school stuff.

But her mom loses her job and abandons her and soon Adele is living out of an old black van trying to pay her cell phone and keep a job as well as her snooty rich friends. Everything goes to hell in a handbasket so to speak. Soon Adele doesn't even care about maintaining pretenses. She is just trying to survive.

The last 5 percent suddenly decided to try to convert me to Christianity tho. All of a sudden it is "god this" and "god that" and of course, upon finding church, everything suddenly goes wonderfully for Adele. If this is Christian fiction, it was not advertised as such the day I downloaded it. Hopefully, someone has remedied that by now.

Besides that, it loses a star for Adele be TSTL sometimes. Um, you leave all your savings in cash format in your van??? Hello?

[Enni · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't quite know how to rate this book. It wasn't hard to feel for the character Adele and the build up through out the story was done very well but the end was really disappointing to me.
Not because Adele found help where she least expected it but because it was so rushed. We never found out what happened to Adele's mother and I would have liked to get more of Adele starting to trust other people and open up and share here fears and worries.

What I liked about the book is that in made you think about how easy it is for a person end up in a situation like that and become homeless. It also made me think again about volunteering somewhere to help kids in need.

[LadyCalico · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even though I am a wee bit past my teens, I really loved this book and was glad that it only took a few hours to read because I couldn't put it down. I cried two or three times during this book, which is something I never do. The world is full of lonely, throw-away people of all ages and they may be included as secondary characters, but it is rare that a book is told from their point of view. This story shows how subsistence living allows no room for error or the whole shaky structure of life collapses like a house of cards.

[VLynch · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this last night, and what a heart breaking yet sweet story. I really wanted to reach through the book and hug Adele and bring the sweetie into my home. Melody Carlson did an excellent job of writing the story so the reader felt emotional for Adele and anger towards Adele's Mother. This is one of Melody's best books. I recommend this for all Moms and daughters. Gives them something to talk about and bond over. Well done Melody...

[Bella Rose Jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

i really enjoy these books. easy reads & about scary real life situations.

[Danielle Turko · Rating 4 out of 5]

Growing up with a mom who has bipolar disorder, Adele learned from an early age not to expect to much. When her mom announces right before her senior year that they're moving because she got a great new job, she doesn't get too excited. Not until she sees the advance her mom received, and they pack everything and arrive at the new place. When she registers for school and immediately gets welcomed by a popular girl, she finds herself trying to fit in with the cool crowd. The only problem is that they are all wealthier than her and don't seem interested in people below their social circle. It starts as a couple of little white lies here and there, that soon turn bigger and bigger. The fact that she gets the attention of one of the guys doesn't help either, since the groups mean girl, Bristol, has her eye on him. When her mom has another 'episode' and leaves her alone, with unpaid rent, she finds herself living in a van yet still unwilling to let anyone know. The lies keep adding up, and she knows its only a matter of time before the secrets start to catch up to her.
I did enjoy this book, but I didn't like the ending. I feel like it was Melody Carlson looking at her page count and seeing she was at her max and just trying to wrap it up as neatly as possible. I have been a fan of this author for years and it's not her usual style to end things that way so maybe it was intentional

[Amanda Gilmore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Overall Amanda rating: A++

This book made me cry. This kind of thing really happens. It breaks my heart. For Adele, this was all too real of a story. Struggling with a mom that leaves often for this guy or these drugs she learns to depend on herself at an early age. Her mother gets offered a fantastic job and they move for a new start. Adele makes rich friends, lives in a nice condo with her mom, and things are actually going well until it isn't. Her mom's behavior patterns start to make their appearance, she loses her job, then leaves Adele for good. Adele is left homeless and literally living in a big ugly van on the streets. She holds down a job, continues at school until she can't anymore. She then ends up at the Mission and the preacher tries to help her without pushing, Adele has never been able to depend on anyone but herself. Will she finally allow someone to help her? Will she learn that not all people are bad? As we read about her struggles on the street I am so saddened that this type of thing is happening all around me. Some of the homeless people really are trying, they just need a little help. And for whatever reason, they are afraid to ask for it.

This was a great read.

[Piper · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a really heavy book. Adele and her mom have moved to a new town but shortly after they arrive her mom takes off and Adele gets evicted from her apartment and has to live in a van. She doesn't want her new friends to know so she makes up lots of lies to try to cover up what's going on with her.
I didn't love this book. I understand why Adele thought she had to lie but she must have known she couldn't keep it up and it ended up making things so much worse.
There was just so much heaviness to this book with her even considering suicide at one point. Her mom is bipolar so that might be a content issue for some people. She meets another girl who it's implied is using her body to get stuff from men.
I think that there are better books out there that deal with this subject matter in a more hopeful way.
I was feeling desperate for her at many points of the book!

[Hannah:) · Rating 4 out of 5]

At the beginning the writing felt like a diary entry instead of a book but towards the end it got a lot better... loved the eye-opening plot but maybe a mention of what happened to her mum, Bel and Bristol at the end woulda been nice:)

[Andria Dollar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Was a quick read. A bit predictable, but it gave an interesting perspective.

[Anomi Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sad but beautiful

[Michelle Padrelanan · Rating 4 out of 5]

My children and I have always liked books by Melody Carlson. I wrote a review of her TrueColors series in the past and we have been looking forward to reading more of her works.

Forgotten – Seventeen and Homeless is the story of Adele Porter – an intelligent seventeen year old with a bipolar mom. She’s been subjected to her Mom’s irresponsible behavior for years and has learned to take care of herself. Things start to look up when her mom finds a new job accompanied by a move to a nice condo and a new school.

Adele thinks that she can start afresh in her new school. Thus she starts hanging out with the rich kids pretending to be rich and privileged just like them. Everything seems to go well until she comes home one day and finds that her mom has left her all alone. She is homeless. What will she do? How can she survive? How can she avoid being taken to a foster home? Can she keep on pretending to her friends? And finally, how does she find God through all her problems?

As with all of Melody Carlson’s books, Forgotten – Seventeen and Homeless is easy enough to read. You can sit down one afternoon and finish her books in one sitting. Which means that once you begin reading, it’s hard to put it down. The situations that Adele finds herself in compels you to keep on reading and reading. Adele Porter’s character is fully developed in this story. However, little is said of the other supporting characters. Despite this, I don’t find this to be a negative feature of the book.

Some reviewers say that the ending seems a bit rushed and abrupt. I don’t feel this is so. As a Christian, I know that this kind of ending is not rare. I experienced myself how God works in totally unexpected ways. What this book is saying that our efforts alone is not enough. With God in our lives, there are really ways in which God makes things work out for us.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from NavPress Publishers as part of their Blogger Review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising

[Elisabeth · Rating 2 out of 5]

Let me first say I've enjoyed other books by Melody Carlson. I loved "A Mile in my Flip flops." I don't usually read teen fiction, but I've also enjoyed the Carter House Girls series. This book just wasn't on par with those.

While I found the premise of the story heart wrenching and eye-opening, there was just too much to tell in the span of the short book. It also felt like the author may have been late for a deadline when she wrote the ending. Much of the book focused on a very short period of time and the week leading to the dance was given pages and pages of details. This is the style of writing I'm used to from Melody. There were a number of ways the author could have added details and developed characters, Genevieve, her friend at the nursing home could have been developed more, for example. The mother Character (Carlene) was so evil she felt one dimensional. And she's not even dealt with in the ending. It's like she never existed in the book at all.

But by far the most glaring example of this failure to develop plot lines was the ending. A few months of a huge transition is summed up in a couple of pages. I did not understand why the ending was given the bum's rush. There were so many questions I had when I finished reading this book, what happened to Cybil? Where is the mother? For that matter where is the father? Everything just seems to tie up in a neat little package and it seemed a bit unrealistic to me. I love the redemption story and learning to lean on others, but for everything to just work out perfectly seems a tad unreasonable. God is great and he can turn your life around, but to a non-Christian going through trouble and turning to God, they might expect everything will all of a sudden turn around and become sunshine and rainbows, and that's very misleading to put it mildly. God promised we would have troubles in this world; Jesus is to help us get through them, not to clear a wide smooth path.

[Deana · Rating 2 out of 5]

Please take my personal review of Forgotten with a grain of salt. This is my first review for NavPress. The way this program works is that when you sign up to review for them, they offer you a few books to choose from, I believe it was 3. I prefer Christian Historical Fiction/Romance but that category was not available.

I had a hard time with Forgotten being written in first person. I picked it up thinking, “I committed to this review, so let’s get reading.” The very first page caught me and before I knew it, I was a third of the way through the book which was good. Then it slowed down, for me, because of the first person narrative mainly. The other characters were not as well developed as I would’ve liked either as this was written for teens.

I began to wonder: Where this book was going to end up at? Was she possibly going to attempt suicide? Where was God in this book except to criticize Adele’s Christian friends? Why would a teen want to read this as opposed to a classic that deals with the same issues? The story deals with all my questions eventually. It wraps up quite quickly, however, which was disappointing too, and made me think, “Is this how teens today expect a book to end, abruptly and neatly tied up with a bow?” My last question to myself is, “Would I let my teen read this book?” I have to answer, "I doubt it," because there is so much classical literature that addresses the issues of abandonment, neglect, society’s responsibilities toward the poor and homeless, social stigmas, etc. and does a better job of it, too. That's why they're called classics afterall, right?

I’ve had a hard time writing this review because, well, who would want to give a negative review? I’ve not read this author before and as stated earlier, this genre would not have otherwise interested me.

[Jax O · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are not a believer or seeker of the Lord this may not particularly be the book for you. If you are a believer this is an awesome reminder of the power of the Lord, and if you are a seeker this is an awesome opportunity for you to be moved. It is a chance at beginning to understand the Lord, and where he might just fit into your life. Forgotten is actually in the young adult genre, but I feel that this is a read for any Christian. This is a excellent example to the younger generation of His Power, as well as, a look at the life of this incredible 17 year old that finds herself in a nightmare. Over night Adele is stranded no home, no money, and no mother. I find this story to be heartfelt and gut wrenching. As a parent I was overcome by some much emotion toward Adele and her mother. At times such as these, it is hard to sit back and believe that there is a plan. Our responsibility is to believe in God’s plan, and pray that he will look out for this young girl in her time of need. As if being stranded and alone was not enough, this story continues a downward spiral that leaves her without her job, her savings, and the vehicle she had resorted to sleeping in. I never thought that this story could get any worse, but it appears I was very very wrong. Not only did that story tremendously move me, but I found myself reflecting on the story and relating it to my own life. While I am not a seventeen year old, nor an I homeless I believe that out of this very complex story everyone will find a way to reflect on their relationship with our Lord and Savior. I believe that you will find yourself one step closer to fully understanding your relationship with the Lord.

[Paula Phillips · Rating 5 out of 5]

All Adele ever wanted was a normal life and one where she could be the child and not have to worry about paying the bills, clothing and rent . She could do teens stuff, hang out with her friends and have fun. However, not all of us get that choice and in a way I could relate to Adele as growing up I have had to miss out on things and have helped and still do carry the majority of bills for my family otherwise things would collapse or work out for the worst and life could be like Adele's and many others in the world. Adele's mother is a flighty bird who has bipolar and when she moves Adele to a new neighbourhood , a new school etc she promises Adele this time will be different and so Adele makes a new group of friends but it isn't long till her mother falls back into her old patterns but this time her mother disappears and takes off - she has never done this before. Soon Adele finds herself homeless with nowhere to go and finds a job and somewhere to sleep. Can Adele though keep up the facade as she attends school and can she keep up with the front she has created for her friends ? What will happen though when they discover the truth about Adele ? Will they dump her and prove that their friendship was superficial or will Adele discover who her "real" friends are through this hard time ?
Find out all this and more in this heart-wrenching story that will get you thinking about those who are "really' in the situation covered in Forgotten.
As in America according to statistics on http://www.dosomething.org/actnow/tip... - there is 1.7 Million homeless teens in America.

[Tessa Hall]

What I disliked: I'm not really thrilled with Melody Carlon's writing style. She doesn't do a great job at really capturing the moment and keep the story flowing. The character's weren't very well developed, either - except for the main character. I also did not like how quickly this story ended, or how it dragged on through in middle of the book. I went for a long period of time without reading it, only because it was boring. The plot wasn't exactly intriguing or "catchy".

What I liked: There are many things that I disliked about this book - but overall, it wasn't bad. Adele's character was well developed. I found myself many times throughout this story thanking God for everything that he has given me that I constantly take for granite. It also gives me a sympathy towards homeless people, or teens that have come from a broken family. Although I didn't care for how the story ended, the message that the author weaved into the end was amazing, something that many teenagers need to realize. The book didn't have a lot of mention of God - but it wasn't too subtle, either. Melody Carlson added just the right amount of faith, and I'm sure this story's "message" has impacted many others as well.

Other comments: It's not exactly what I was expecting/hoping it would be... but overall, it was worth the read.

[Chickadee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book in one sitting – however, much like other reviewers have posted, it felt like the book came to a screeching halt right at the end.

The story was so captivating at the beginning, I felt like I could not put the book down and was a little disappointed at such an abrupt conclusion.

Having said that, I do think that Melody addresses a very poignant topic with this book – homelessness is something that everyone knows about. This story opens the reader’s eyes to the day in the life of a homeless teen and just how quickly someone can go from a “normal” life, to being out on the street. The main character Adele, becomes homeless through no fault of her own – a good reminder that but for the grace and mercy of God, this is something any of us could face.

As I read, I found myself wondering just how long Adele could go on hiding her secret while trying to hold down a job and finish high school. This story proves that many times we have no idea just how bad someone’s situation is though we may encounter that person on a daily basis. This book made me stop and evaluate myself.

Am I a compassionate person?

Am I sensitive to the needs and struggles of others?

Or do I go about my day and miss the little cues that a friend or a neighbor could use some help and encouragement?

This is definitely a thought provoking read!

[Ruby Guzman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Seventeen and Homeless by Melody Carlson is a good book to read. I think it shows you a lesson on how to not try to be someone else. Well the book is about this one girl name Adele Porter she lived with her mom she 17. Her mom and her moved to Stanfield because her mom got a job and to start a better life. When Adele went to check in at her new school she meets new friends Isabella, lily, Ethan, Jayden, and Bristol. Adele has been having problems with her mom but she would tell her friends that she was sick. Adele mom lost her job and days later her mom left with her boyfriend Ben and they never ended up coming back. Adele had a job a house but days later they kick out of the house for not paying the rent. Adele and hers friend went to prom they all found out that she was lying this whole time. She didn’t know where to go she ended up going to this church she got help for them and her life was getting better. From all her friends Jayden was the one that keep talking to him.
I like this book because people shouldn’t fake their lives. Adele was wrong about faking her life but she learned that is better to talk to someone to tell the true about her life. One thing I liked was how even do Jayden found out that Adele was lying the whole time at the end he was there to support her.

[Jodi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great boo by Melody Carlson. This was a story about a teenage girl whose mother had bipolar. The mother andher move and start a new life. Everything is going well until the girl gets home from school one day and notices the same old patterns. The mother and her fight and she starts to plan what to do next. The next day after school she comes home and finds that her mother has left her. She is 17 and gets a job and continues to go to school. She lies to all her new friends, because they are all rich and would never understand. She is excited to go to Homecoming with a boy she met. She gets a dress and they are all on there where to the dance when a mean girl tells everyone she has lied. Her "friends" dont trust her and more rumors and lies spread. She tries to be friend a girl who is also homeless. The girl ends up stealing from her and breaking a window in the van that she has been sleeping in. Her world is falling apart and she sleeps at a homeless shelter. It was an interesting look at homelessness and how easily things can get out of hand. This was a wonderful book. I read it all last night and could not put it down.

[Riley King · Rating 4 out of 5]

I decided to read this book because the blurb was really captivating and it looked like a good book to read. My favorite character in the book is definitely Adele, who is the main character, because she is so strong even when she is homeless and everyone hates her. She is a hard-worker and cares for others more than she cares for herself which i think is very beautiful. My favorite quote from the book is "i am a nice person. I just happen to be an impoverished nice person.And in some circles, poverty is considered to be a character flaw". I like this quote because it's the first time Adele is standing up for herself and not caring what people think of her for once. She is telling the truth and being straight up about who she is and she's sick of all the drama. Something i learnt from this book is that you should always be honest to your friends, and not try to be something you're not. Also you should never judge homeless people because they all have a story and you shouldn't despise them if you don't even know them.

[Keilah R · Rating 5 out of 5]

I chose this book as my contemporary issue book, which deals with the issue of homelessness. It's about a seventeen-year-old girl named Adele, whose bipolar mom ran out on her and left her homeless, after being evicted from their apartment. Forced to live in a van, Adele struggles to keep up with school while working a part-time job that takes up all her spare time. She tries to hide the truth of her homelessness from her friends by lying and this lands her in a heap of trouble. It is really an amazing story of God's grace and love to the lost, as Adele eventually comes to know the Lord. I was hooked on every word- it just felt so realistic and my heart really went out to Adele and her situation. The author, Melody Carlson, really does a great job of keeping readers interested and helping them understand Adele's life and all who may be in a similar situation. Overall, this book was a really good read with many issues that are so relevant in today's society.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eye Opener

One mental issue I struggle with is bipolar and I truly feel the author has captured this illness well. Without the right medication and without taking it, a person with bipolar has highs and lows. Although I never self-medicated with drugs, at times I did use alcohol. It is difficult to control if medication aren't taken and it is easy to see how the mother spiraled out of control so quickly.
Family members often have to deal with the fall out and I can easily see the daughter having to be a parent figure while struggling to have a normal life. I can't blame her for the situation she wound up in as after so many years of taking care of her mom and household, anyone would get to the breaking point.
Carlson really opens readers eyes as to how people can become homeless and this is a topic that needs to be address. Hopefully by reading this, people will think twice about these human beings.

[Crystal Navarro · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this for my Diversity in Education class and I really do think it would be a great book to show students how you cannot necessarily understand what is going on in the lives of everyone around you. It's a bout a girl who becomes Homeless after her mother runs off. Having moved to a new neighborhood and finding her way into a very rich group of friends, she fights to keep up the illusion that she is on their level. Eventually everything comes crashing down on her and it's in the moment she thinks she has no hope that she discovers how to get herself out of her hopeless situation.

I enjoyed the book but I wouldn't rate it among my favorites. I do think it could be a great tool used in a classroom setting, though.