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Leftovers
A devastating novel of desperation and revenge from one of today's most compelling new voices in fiction. In this follow-up to her heartbreaking debut, Such a Pretty Girl, Laura Wiess once again spins a shattering tale of the tragedies that befall young women who are considered society's Leftovers.
Blair and Ardith are best friends who have committed an unforgivable act in the name of love and justice. But in order to understand what could drive two young women to such extreme measures, first you'll have to understand why. You'll have to listen as they describe parents who are alternately absent and smothering, classmates who mock and shun anyone different, and young men who are allowed to hurt and dominate without consequence. You will have to learn what it's like to be a teenage girl who locks her bedroom door at night, who has been written off by the adults around her as damaged goods. A girl who has no one to trust except the one person she's forbidden to see. You'll have to understand what it's really like to be forgotten and abandoned in America today.
Are you ready?
Blair and Ardith are best friends who have committed an unforgivable act in the name of love and justice. But in order to understand what could drive two young women to such extreme measures, first you'll have to understand why. You'll have to listen as they describe parents who are alternately absent and smothering, classmates who mock and shun anyone different, and young men who are allowed to hurt and dominate without consequence. You will have to learn what it's like to be a teenage girl who locks her bedroom door at night, who has been written off by the adults around her as damaged goods. A girl who has no one to trust except the one person she's forbidden to see. You'll have to understand what it's really like to be forgotten and abandoned in America today.
Are you ready?
232 pages, Paperback
First published July 7, 2008
66 people are currently reading
6894 people want to read
About the author
Laura Wiess
6 books544 followersLaura Wiess is the author of the critically acclaimed novels Such a Pretty Girl, chosen as one of the ALA’s 2008 Best Books for Young Adults and 2008 YALSA Quick Picks for Reluctant Readers, and Leftovers. Originally from Milltown, New Jersey, she traded bumper-to-bumper traffic, excellent pizza, and summer days down the shore for scenic roads, bears, no pizza delivery, and the irresistible allure of an old stone house surrounded by forests in Pennsylvania’s Endless Mountains Region. Email Laura Wiess at laura@laurawiess.com or visit http://www.laurawiess.com for more information.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 317 reviews
December 5, 2013
I recently purchased this book because of asthetic reasons. I stopped dead in my tracks at the "New In Paperback" section because of the gorgeous blue cover.
"Ah, another book published by MTV," I said outloud.
But honestly, I know as well as anyone who has experienced them that these small, cleverly covered books are actually a light refreshment compared to the world of adult literature and classics.
"Leftovers" is no exception. While I don't expect any adult male to really appreciate this novel, I would assume that a woman of any age would be able to relate, and in a good way. This is a teen novel in all aspects except the typical predictable storyline. I honestly didn't expect the ending, even though it was forshadowed a few times. Nothing mindblowing happens, but the book honestly kept me interested from beginning to end. So much so, that I read the book in one sitting.
As for a brief summary, the book is about 2 teenage girls who are best friends. Blair lives in an upper class, snooty family who is too busy with their lawyer jobs and affairs (literally and figuratively) that they see no time for her. Blair is continuously changing to please her mother and give her the "appearance" of a perfect family so that her mother may become judge in her town. Meanwhile, her parents move her into a new home, do something horrible to something she cherished, lie to her, treat her like an infant, buy her new clothes that she doesn't want to wear, and forbid her to see the most important person in her life. And that is just the tip of the iceberg.
Blairs best friend Ardith lives in a house with her two parents and her brother. Her father is a creepy, overweight, middle-aged man who tends to flirt a little TOO much with his sons female friends, and her mother is a 45 year old woman sporting faded tattoos and extremely skimpy clothes. They allow underage drinking parties and sex to occur in their house daily, buy cartons of cigarettes for everyone, all the while joining in on the action. Ardith has installed a deadbolt on her bedroom door to keep her brothers friends from doing anything to her, and possibly even her own father. While her house is on the tip of every teenagers mouth, she does everything she possibly can to avoid it at all costs.
These two girls join together to be each others sounding board. And when things get WAY too out of hand, they need to come up with a plan to finally get themselves out of there, and save a friend who has not only been the only adult role model in their lives, but who has also come into an incredible amount of danger. Their plan is teetering on the line of morality and concience. You almost literally SEE these two girls grow up through the pages, and by the end you can't believe it is the same two innocent girls you first met.
The plot line soars, and the characters are all someone you have met before in your own life. It is written through the eyes of both girls, and they are telling the story to another character in the book. It is a unique way of writing, and I enjoyed it throughout.
I will be purchasing this book for my younger sister, as well as the authors previous book. It is a great book for any female to read if you'd like a little break from all the typical chick lit or unending seriousness of adult lit, and it is also a perfect book for any teenage girl.
"Ah, another book published by MTV," I said outloud.
But honestly, I know as well as anyone who has experienced them that these small, cleverly covered books are actually a light refreshment compared to the world of adult literature and classics.
"Leftovers" is no exception. While I don't expect any adult male to really appreciate this novel, I would assume that a woman of any age would be able to relate, and in a good way. This is a teen novel in all aspects except the typical predictable storyline. I honestly didn't expect the ending, even though it was forshadowed a few times. Nothing mindblowing happens, but the book honestly kept me interested from beginning to end. So much so, that I read the book in one sitting.
As for a brief summary, the book is about 2 teenage girls who are best friends. Blair lives in an upper class, snooty family who is too busy with their lawyer jobs and affairs (literally and figuratively) that they see no time for her. Blair is continuously changing to please her mother and give her the "appearance" of a perfect family so that her mother may become judge in her town. Meanwhile, her parents move her into a new home, do something horrible to something she cherished, lie to her, treat her like an infant, buy her new clothes that she doesn't want to wear, and forbid her to see the most important person in her life. And that is just the tip of the iceberg.
Blairs best friend Ardith lives in a house with her two parents and her brother. Her father is a creepy, overweight, middle-aged man who tends to flirt a little TOO much with his sons female friends, and her mother is a 45 year old woman sporting faded tattoos and extremely skimpy clothes. They allow underage drinking parties and sex to occur in their house daily, buy cartons of cigarettes for everyone, all the while joining in on the action. Ardith has installed a deadbolt on her bedroom door to keep her brothers friends from doing anything to her, and possibly even her own father. While her house is on the tip of every teenagers mouth, she does everything she possibly can to avoid it at all costs.
These two girls join together to be each others sounding board. And when things get WAY too out of hand, they need to come up with a plan to finally get themselves out of there, and save a friend who has not only been the only adult role model in their lives, but who has also come into an incredible amount of danger. Their plan is teetering on the line of morality and concience. You almost literally SEE these two girls grow up through the pages, and by the end you can't believe it is the same two innocent girls you first met.
The plot line soars, and the characters are all someone you have met before in your own life. It is written through the eyes of both girls, and they are telling the story to another character in the book. It is a unique way of writing, and I enjoyed it throughout.
I will be purchasing this book for my younger sister, as well as the authors previous book. It is a great book for any female to read if you'd like a little break from all the typical chick lit or unending seriousness of adult lit, and it is also a perfect book for any teenage girl.
January 3, 2008
We mutinied quietly, using every lesson we’d been taught by every person who’d ever used us for their own benefit.
Blair and Ardith are best friends, and they are both unhappy. Blair’s career-driven mother is shaping her family into the perfect public face, and ignoring the fact that they’re falling apart on the inside. And Ardith’s parents are the Cool Parents, the ones who provide a party house to all the underage kids in the neighborhood. They are best friends, and they are the leftovers, the ones that nobody wants or cares about or listens to. But when things get so bad that they can’t take it anymore, Blair and Ardith are driven by love and the desire for justice to an unspeakable act.
This book is intense. From the very first page, you can’t look away, and trust me, you have no idea where it’s going. But you need to know, and so you read on with an ever-increasing sense of dread, as both girls tell how they were broken down further and further and further until there was nowhere else to go. And when you finally realize where things are headed, you see that it’s been coming all along. And it’s sharp and brilliant and scary and intense. And it’s scary because you know just how true it could be.
Blair and Ardith are best friends, and they are both unhappy. Blair’s career-driven mother is shaping her family into the perfect public face, and ignoring the fact that they’re falling apart on the inside. And Ardith’s parents are the Cool Parents, the ones who provide a party house to all the underage kids in the neighborhood. They are best friends, and they are the leftovers, the ones that nobody wants or cares about or listens to. But when things get so bad that they can’t take it anymore, Blair and Ardith are driven by love and the desire for justice to an unspeakable act.
This book is intense. From the very first page, you can’t look away, and trust me, you have no idea where it’s going. But you need to know, and so you read on with an ever-increasing sense of dread, as both girls tell how they were broken down further and further and further until there was nowhere else to go. And when you finally realize where things are headed, you see that it’s been coming all along. And it’s sharp and brilliant and scary and intense. And it’s scary because you know just how true it could be.
May 16, 2019
I struggled to decide how I felt about this book.
This is definitely an interesting and somewhat compelling read, however, I did really struggle with the writing style - the swapping in and out of the second person narrative style was really hard to follow and I found it very frustrating at times.
I liked the idea of Blair and Ardith both having completely different, and yet equally horrible, home lives and using their friendship with each other to try and get through it.
I struggled with the actions of the two main characters in this book, I just don't buy that two people would stoop to the level that these two did in order to seek some kind of 'revenge'.
Overall I am confused about my feelings for this book but I did still enjoy it.
This is definitely an interesting and somewhat compelling read, however, I did really struggle with the writing style - the swapping in and out of the second person narrative style was really hard to follow and I found it very frustrating at times.
I liked the idea of Blair and Ardith both having completely different, and yet equally horrible, home lives and using their friendship with each other to try and get through it.
I struggled with the actions of the two main characters in this book, I just don't buy that two people would stoop to the level that these two did in order to seek some kind of 'revenge'.
Overall I am confused about my feelings for this book but I did still enjoy it.
July 23, 2016
1|5 Stars
I'm not going to really review this book - it will be more of a rant about the ending and why it destroyed the whole book for me (so, spoilers, beware!). Well, I expected something better. Way better. Okay, let me take a quote from the blurb:
The unforgivable act is
You know, I'm sensing a pattern here. I read three books from Laura Wiess now and it always goes kind of like this: little bad thing happens, bigger bad thing happens, very big bad thing happens ... BAD THINGS BAD THINGS BAD THINGS - BOOM - the end. Until now, it didn't really bother me. But now ... now it does. I thought I would give this book at least one star and a half, but nope. The ending makes me so angry. One star it is.
I'm not going to really review this book - it will be more of a rant about the ending and why it destroyed the whole book for me (so, spoilers, beware!). Well, I expected something better. Way better. Okay, let me take a quote from the blurb:
"Blair and Ardith are best friends who have committed an unforgivable act in the name of love and justice."
... this doesn't sound so bad, does it? Well, but it is.The unforgivable act is
You know, I'm sensing a pattern here. I read three books from Laura Wiess now and it always goes kind of like this: little bad thing happens, bigger bad thing happens, very big bad thing happens ... BAD THINGS BAD THINGS BAD THINGS - BOOM - the end. Until now, it didn't really bother me. But now ... now it does. I thought I would give this book at least one star and a half, but nope. The ending makes me so angry. One star it is.
May 6, 2008
Reviewed by JodiG. for TeensReadToo.com
Have you ever felt alienated from the rest of the world? Have you spoken and known that nobody was listening? Have you ever screamed “No” and been ignored at every turn? Ardith and Blair have experienced all that and more. And now they have committed a despicable act of vengeance in an effort to make everything “right” again.
Blair and Ardith are best friends. They are fifteen, in the ninth grade, and have miserable, though very different, home lives.
Ardith lives in a party house. Her parents are nightly hosts to a group of drunken teenage boys. Without limits, the boys control the house and any female that dares to enter it. Not even Ardith is safe from their advances. Blair comes from an affluent family. Her parents are successful in their careers, have a new home, and are poised to rise through the
local social and political ranks. Now her mother is making decisions to shape the family image; decisions that are wrenching Blair away from the those she loves most. In addition to their family problems, Blair and Ardith are now becoming victims of the school rumor mill and some very cruel classmates. How much can they be expected to tolerate?
LEFTOVERS is a dramatic and disturbing story of two girls who have been pushed to great lengths. It is written in alternating points of view, as each girl describes the events that led them to a final, desperate act. LEFTOVERS is a captivating book that will keep you turning the pages.
Have you ever felt alienated from the rest of the world? Have you spoken and known that nobody was listening? Have you ever screamed “No” and been ignored at every turn? Ardith and Blair have experienced all that and more. And now they have committed a despicable act of vengeance in an effort to make everything “right” again.
Blair and Ardith are best friends. They are fifteen, in the ninth grade, and have miserable, though very different, home lives.
Ardith lives in a party house. Her parents are nightly hosts to a group of drunken teenage boys. Without limits, the boys control the house and any female that dares to enter it. Not even Ardith is safe from their advances. Blair comes from an affluent family. Her parents are successful in their careers, have a new home, and are poised to rise through the
local social and political ranks. Now her mother is making decisions to shape the family image; decisions that are wrenching Blair away from the those she loves most. In addition to their family problems, Blair and Ardith are now becoming victims of the school rumor mill and some very cruel classmates. How much can they be expected to tolerate?
LEFTOVERS is a dramatic and disturbing story of two girls who have been pushed to great lengths. It is written in alternating points of view, as each girl describes the events that led them to a final, desperate act. LEFTOVERS is a captivating book that will keep you turning the pages.
January 5, 2012
I have no idea what people saw in this book. I'm being nice by giving it 2 stars. The writing was strange - I want to read a book, not be talked AT. "You did this and your mom came home, blah blah blah" - The perspective of the book was weird. Answers were given in the dialogue when a question wasn't even asked and you just had to figure it out yourself. It was odd. It took me FOREVER to read this book because I kept reading other books in between, just because I didn't care enough to finish this. I finally finished it this morning just so I could move it to a different folder on my kindle so I could stop looking at it. The story was poorly written, the act of the girls was heinous and make them just as guilty as the other parties in the story. Condoning their behavior is not something I'm willing to do. I read the entire book, and yes I was curious about what it was that the girls actually did, but finding out in the last few pages and being pissed about it didn't sit well with me. I've read other books by this author and wasn't this disappointed, but honestly, I think this book was a waste of my time and I'm glad I can finally move on!..
April 30, 2024
Not for me. The writing is too hard to understand.
2 stars
2 stars
January 12, 2012
I'm a sucker for second person, broken families, and angry teenagers. But I'm an even bigger sucker for writing that can make you just as angry and enraged as the characters feel, and as hopeless and frustrated, too. Laura Wiess accomplished this almost every section, with Blair's mother, with Adrith's entire family, with the kids at school, and with the "boys will be boys" phrase scattered throughout.
It doesn't excuse what they do, but that's the point. That's the whole point.
It doesn't excuse what they do, but that's the point. That's the whole point.
November 27, 2011
This was a very compelling read that delves into issues of neglected kids, bad behavior, bullying and teasing, and friendship. Told from the perspectives of best friends Blair and Ardith after they have gone through a slew of events leading to the demise of characters from their own lives, the book covers many issues that teens deal with on a daily basis. Each girl is coming from a completely different place, but they both share a hope to some day extract themselves from their current situations and come into their own. Blair's mom is consumed and obsessed with some day becoming a judge, so for now she is a cut-throat and cold-blooded attorney who is more concerned with appearances that with her own husband and daughter. Ardith's parents have no sense of parental responsibility and they host parties where under age kids are allowed to drink and grope any girl who is unlucky enough to pass under their radar. Both girls find solace in their friendship, but when Blair's mother forbids her to see Ardith they start growing up fast. It's saddening to think that the situations described in the story are not far from the truth of what does go on to lots of teenagers these days, and you could even say that the events are tame compared to some of the things that do go on. I really liked the voices of these girls, each was distinct to her personality and you could see how they developed as time went on and certain things happened to them. You could root for them but you could also say that they made some pretty stupid choices along the way. The most despicable characters are the parents of course - their lack of emotion and of responsibility was disheartening and it drove Blair and Ardith to do much of what they did. I don't think you can always blame the parents 100% for how their kids turn out, but at the same time, what they did and did not do influenced at least 75% of their children's behaviors. In the end Blair and Ardith grow a thick skin to the world around them, but there is a sliver of hope that the future is open for them to make of it something worthwhile. Excellent story telling.
December 29, 2018
This novel raises some interesting ethical and moral questions, but the writing is exhausting. Second person narration can be quite fun, as it’s unusual and a little twisty- but this is sort of second person narration about the person who tells the chapter and it becomes really weird and tiring to read.
October 14, 2019
I read this book in one day. I couldn’t put it down. So much going on in this story to digest.
December 30, 2010
Your best friend. You two were inseparable. No one could come between. Not your parents, not the boys, the teachers, the kids that called you names,... the ones that started the rumors.
You two had each other's backs.
Then one day you start to drift apart. You still wear your BeFri necklace but she put her St Ends locket away and replaced it with Jonny's class ring.
Time speeds up and you start to drift apart. The world just rolls on by without even thinking twice. You learn to evolve.
But in the end... you always have each other's back. In the end no matter what happens.... she's still your best friend and nothing can tear you apart.
This book was freaking awesome!! It's about two best friends from different sides of the telling the same story. But every story has two sides and someone to hear it. It's a coming of age tale. A story about what happens when the fairytale ends and real life begins. What happens when boys start to look and your mother starts to watch. What happens when you father won't stop looking and your brother notices your friends.
It's not sugar coated.
This story reminded me of my high school days and how I was the Bad Influence and my best friend was a prisoner in her own house. We were only allowed to see each other at school or when she snuck over to her grandmother's house on Saturday mornings to call me at 6am (my mother happily giving me the phone because she knew we'd be lost w/o one another). It brought back a lot of memories but also made me remember things that I wanted to forget. And because of that I found it brilliant.
I found this geared towards my generation. I don't know how a bubbly little 13 year old would take it (Note: Greta believes that only her generation was most awesome and that her parents still don't understand her). They'd probably want to know when the vampires and abtastic wolf boys are going to join the mix and rescue the two besties from their miserable lives. (note: Greta has a hard time understanding kids of today... her 13 year old son doesn't think she understands him)
If you're looking for fluff then this isn't the book for you. But if you are looking for a real life story that will keep you guessing until the end then you've definitely picked up the right book... and the ending just might shock you.... I couldn't even guess it.
*** Can't wait to read more from this author. 5 stars !! ***
You two had each other's backs.
Then one day you start to drift apart. You still wear your BeFri necklace but she put her St Ends locket away and replaced it with Jonny's class ring.
Time speeds up and you start to drift apart. The world just rolls on by without even thinking twice. You learn to evolve.
But in the end... you always have each other's back. In the end no matter what happens.... she's still your best friend and nothing can tear you apart.
This book was freaking awesome!! It's about two best friends from different sides of the telling the same story. But every story has two sides and someone to hear it. It's a coming of age tale. A story about what happens when the fairytale ends and real life begins. What happens when boys start to look and your mother starts to watch. What happens when you father won't stop looking and your brother notices your friends.
It's not sugar coated.
This story reminded me of my high school days and how I was the Bad Influence and my best friend was a prisoner in her own house. We were only allowed to see each other at school or when she snuck over to her grandmother's house on Saturday mornings to call me at 6am (my mother happily giving me the phone because she knew we'd be lost w/o one another). It brought back a lot of memories but also made me remember things that I wanted to forget. And because of that I found it brilliant.
I found this geared towards my generation. I don't know how a bubbly little 13 year old would take it (Note: Greta believes that only her generation was most awesome and that her parents still don't understand her). They'd probably want to know when the vampires and abtastic wolf boys are going to join the mix and rescue the two besties from their miserable lives. (note: Greta has a hard time understanding kids of today... her 13 year old son doesn't think she understands him)
If you're looking for fluff then this isn't the book for you. But if you are looking for a real life story that will keep you guessing until the end then you've definitely picked up the right book... and the ending just might shock you.... I couldn't even guess it.
*** Can't wait to read more from this author. 5 stars !! ***
December 17, 2011
Two girls, Blair and Ardith, are two best friends. Both of them have been neglected by their parents in different ways. Blair's mother is a defensive attorney, is completely self centered, and focused only on becoming a judge. Her father has lost all interest in being a family and is having an affair. Ardith's parents have yet to grow up. They hold parties for their 17 year old son, provide alcohol and cigarettes to minors. Ardith doesn't feel safe in her own home because of her older brother's friends that sexually harass her. These two girls bond over having broken family lives and are shunned in school because they are not considered to be normal. However, once Blair is raped by Ardith's older brother their lives begin to spin out of control. Blair's mother discovers that the girls drank on New Year’s Eve and was worried about her reputation so she forbids Blair to see Ardith. The two became extremely distant and had changed dramatically. After Ardith's brother crashed his car while drunk, Blair's mother took over the case. She spun it to seem like he had done nothing wrong and this angered the girls. In the end, to stop Ardith's brother from hurting anyone again the girls devised a plan. They were able to get Ardith's brother caught in the act of trying to rape another girl, specifically a wealthy girl with parents that held prominent positions that would speak up about what had happened.
Overall, this book was fast paced and attention grabbing. I could not put it down. It was shocking to see how the parents of both Blair and Ardith acted so selfishly. It was an extremely good read and I highly recommend it.
Overall, this book was fast paced and attention grabbing. I could not put it down. It was shocking to see how the parents of both Blair and Ardith acted so selfishly. It was an extremely good read and I highly recommend it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 1, 2008
Usually the books Ive read features the love between a boy and girl as the core of the story, but with this novel it was the love and loyalty between two best friends Ardith and Blair that was captured. I could not put this book down; the style of how it was written switching between both of their sides of the story which not only makes you feel like you were there but highlights the bond between these two girls who know eachother so well that they naturally mould together when telling their story. This tale of two girls with completely different lifestyles but are going through the exact same life experiences is just beautiful and shows that no matter how lost they get or how dark it becomes they have eachother......5 stars and I would definately recommend!!!
January 17, 2018
The Novel, 'Leftovers' is an interesting book with a unique point of view. It was published in August of 2008 by author Laura Weiss. She has already proven herself as a writer with a unique style. She isn't wary of topics that are controversial or not widely talked about. The novel is definitely a fiction novel directed at youths. The characters are very well developed and especially the two main characters from which the story was told. I think that someone who found themselves in these types of situations or someone who has this kind of home life, would find he characters authentic and be able to relate to them. I think a little more insight from other characters outside of the two main ones could've been a little beneficial as well. The plot is very original because it is two girls telling a story to someone in a very broken up and jumpy format. It isn't predictable and it and it really sets the novel apart in that aspect. The novel doesn't gain much from the geography because it isn't really mentioned or a big deal. This novel has a very descriptive and explicit scene between a boy and a girl and it reminded me a lot of 'Lucky' by Alice Sebold. It has a similar scene. This book is similar to Laura weiss's other novel, 'Such a Pretty Girl' that has similar scandalous topics. The book obviously has a very controversial topic regarding molestation and also the unfortunate relationship between young girls and boys. The main point of the novel was o deliver the image of these two young girls fighting back against a society full of boys with too much power over others and a community that allowed it. I would recommend this novel to young adult readers both male and female. The mature subject matter deems it appropriate for older audiences so I wouldn't recommend it to everyone.
July 2, 2021
“See, guys freak out. They hit critical mass and blast nuclear, white-hot anger out over the world like walking flamethrowers. But girls freak in. They absorb the pain and bitterness and keep right on sponging it up until they drown.”
Genre:
Young Adult
Fiction
Themes:
Rape
Abandonment
Revenge
This was one of those books that you can’t really say you enjoy, because it’s too dark. Very brief synopsis:
Two girls with shitty home lives find safety in each other. Parents/siblings threaten to destroy their happiness. The girls go to extreme measures to save their shreds of happiness. The ending left me extremely conflicted. Would I have done something to help myself? Yes. Would I have done what they did? I would like to think not.
There were two quotes in the book that stood out for me, both as a once upon a time young girl and now as a mother of a girl who will have to fight her way through her teenage years.
“It never actually left, you know; it just went dormant until I got mad again and then there it was, as big and powerful and fearless as it had been the first time.”
“That’s what innocence is, you know. A blissful oblivion of what’s coming, of what you’ll lose and what you’ll gain, and what kind of person you’ll grow up to be.”
Genre:
Young Adult
Fiction
Themes:
Rape
Abandonment
Revenge
This was one of those books that you can’t really say you enjoy, because it’s too dark. Very brief synopsis:
Two girls with shitty home lives find safety in each other. Parents/siblings threaten to destroy their happiness. The girls go to extreme measures to save their shreds of happiness. The ending left me extremely conflicted. Would I have done something to help myself? Yes. Would I have done what they did? I would like to think not.
There were two quotes in the book that stood out for me, both as a once upon a time young girl and now as a mother of a girl who will have to fight her way through her teenage years.
“It never actually left, you know; it just went dormant until I got mad again and then there it was, as big and powerful and fearless as it had been the first time.”
“That’s what innocence is, you know. A blissful oblivion of what’s coming, of what you’ll lose and what you’ll gain, and what kind of person you’ll grow up to be.”
April 8, 2011
When Greta told me I needed to read this, I jumped at it. As per usual I am so SO SO glad I did. But lets get something straight. When Greta tells me to read something, I do it, and then I usually feel a little dirty afterwards. *waggles eyebrows* If ya know what I mean. This book also left me feeling a bit dirty, but
NOT NOT NOT
in the way that you think. I feel worn raw by the sheer truth in all this.
Laura Wiess takes us on a journey into the lifes of teenagers Blair and Ardith. She takes you to a place that is dark, yet you still are able to find disturbing humour. This book is an unspoken truth of our youth. A big lump usual found hidden under the rug, now lies scattered across the floor for all the world to see....
Blair and Aridith are bff's. The bond that makes their friendship stronger, also seems to the misery that pulls them apart. Blair is the rich kid, who's parents believe that appearances are EVERYTHING. Blair is just an appearance, not a loved daughter as she should be, do not confuse the two. Blair spends most her time all alone in her big cold house, unless of course Ardith rescues her from her solitude.
Aridith is the girl from the wrong side of the tracks.Also not to be confused with the bad seed, because she is anything but. She spends all of her time at school working hard to get away from the stain on society, that is her family. While at home the parties are endless, the pervs know no boundaries, and the' keg squats in the corner, like the resident trolll. Aridith knows a world where little girls sleep with padlocks on the inside of their bedroom door, because you never know when being his daughter will stop being enough to keep his hands at bay. Ardith keeps Blair away from her stained home life at all cost, but when Christmas rolls around, and Blair is left alone, you can't leave the drunken house so you invite her over. Nothing was the same after that. Life's were changed, friendships strained, and consequences must be paid.
Revenge is a dish best served cold, because as you will see, sometimes in order to pay the piper others will have to be sacrificed.....
"You've both outgrown the girls you were defending, and the ones that stand in their place are now armed with powerful, adult-sanctioned weapons. Tomorrow. The end will mark the beginning.
I know I'm leaving you hanging, but I mean isn't that kinda the point?! But before I go I will give you a glimpse into this story with a quote from Ardith that just really stuck with me, in a so true, haunting kind of way.
"Time is not your friend. It doesn't care if you live fast or die slow, if you aren't or if you aren't. It was here before you arrived and will go on after you leave. Time doesn't care who wins or who loses, if your life span is empty, honorable or shameful. Time is indifferent. It simply doesn't give a shit."
Overall I give this 4 out of 5!!
NOT NOT NOT
in the way that you think. I feel worn raw by the sheer truth in all this.
Laura Wiess takes us on a journey into the lifes of teenagers Blair and Ardith. She takes you to a place that is dark, yet you still are able to find disturbing humour. This book is an unspoken truth of our youth. A big lump usual found hidden under the rug, now lies scattered across the floor for all the world to see....
Blair and Aridith are bff's. The bond that makes their friendship stronger, also seems to the misery that pulls them apart. Blair is the rich kid, who's parents believe that appearances are EVERYTHING. Blair is just an appearance, not a loved daughter as she should be, do not confuse the two. Blair spends most her time all alone in her big cold house, unless of course Ardith rescues her from her solitude.
Aridith is the girl from the wrong side of the tracks.Also not to be confused with the bad seed, because she is anything but. She spends all of her time at school working hard to get away from the stain on society, that is her family. While at home the parties are endless, the pervs know no boundaries, and the' keg squats in the corner, like the resident trolll. Aridith knows a world where little girls sleep with padlocks on the inside of their bedroom door, because you never know when being his daughter will stop being enough to keep his hands at bay. Ardith keeps Blair away from her stained home life at all cost, but when Christmas rolls around, and Blair is left alone, you can't leave the drunken house so you invite her over. Nothing was the same after that. Life's were changed, friendships strained, and consequences must be paid.
Revenge is a dish best served cold, because as you will see, sometimes in order to pay the piper others will have to be sacrificed.....
"You've both outgrown the girls you were defending, and the ones that stand in their place are now armed with powerful, adult-sanctioned weapons. Tomorrow. The end will mark the beginning.
I know I'm leaving you hanging, but I mean isn't that kinda the point?! But before I go I will give you a glimpse into this story with a quote from Ardith that just really stuck with me, in a so true, haunting kind of way.
"Time is not your friend. It doesn't care if you live fast or die slow, if you aren't or if you aren't. It was here before you arrived and will go on after you leave. Time doesn't care who wins or who loses, if your life span is empty, honorable or shameful. Time is indifferent. It simply doesn't give a shit."
Overall I give this 4 out of 5!!
January 4, 2015
MAY CONTAIN SLIGHT SPOILERS
God, 38% in and I'm ready to start bawling!
I definitely was not expecting this sort of thing. ( I was thinking this would be a bit like Pretty Little Liars, except where the girls were treated badly) These girls are managing to do everything that a teenager is told not to or anything a teen has thought about. They drink, smoke, cut, and other things that make me want to sob. I can deal with the parents being cruel but when you bring the rape and one of the girls parents killing her dog, that makes me want to go back to my fantasy books about romance and action where the hero(ine) can beat her fears and come out with love.
So this book is pretty much scaring the crap out of me. Though, I will say, the author knows how to write a real story because the girls sound like teenagers and act like them. But I guess I might finish to see what these girls did (I am a little curious!).
Thank God, at the mid way point, it tones down a bit in shock factor.
FINISHED
So this book wasn't too bad. After the first half of the book, the girls are strong and fighting back. The first half was basically shock factor and goes down as the book progresses.
As you read, you see the girls' thoughts and fantasies slowly die as they lose their innocence. Blair and Ardith are both strong girls, through the story. Ardith has to deal with her drunk family and locks her door at night because the guys in the house can touch you regardless of who you are. Blair has a mother who cares more about other people's opinions and is unraveling Blair and her family for her fame.
It is seriously sad to think of our society in this way but hopefully, some people have read this novel, seen error in their ways and became better people.
God, 38% in and I'm ready to start bawling!
I definitely was not expecting this sort of thing. ( I was thinking this would be a bit like Pretty Little Liars, except where the girls were treated badly) These girls are managing to do everything that a teenager is told not to or anything a teen has thought about. They drink, smoke, cut, and other things that make me want to sob. I can deal with the parents being cruel but when you bring the rape and one of the girls parents killing her dog, that makes me want to go back to my fantasy books about romance and action where the hero(ine) can beat her fears and come out with love.
So this book is pretty much scaring the crap out of me. Though, I will say, the author knows how to write a real story because the girls sound like teenagers and act like them. But I guess I might finish to see what these girls did (I am a little curious!).
Thank God, at the mid way point, it tones down a bit in shock factor.
FINISHED
So this book wasn't too bad. After the first half of the book, the girls are strong and fighting back. The first half was basically shock factor and goes down as the book progresses.
As you read, you see the girls' thoughts and fantasies slowly die as they lose their innocence. Blair and Ardith are both strong girls, through the story. Ardith has to deal with her drunk family and locks her door at night because the guys in the house can touch you regardless of who you are. Blair has a mother who cares more about other people's opinions and is unraveling Blair and her family for her fame.
It is seriously sad to think of our society in this way but hopefully, some people have read this novel, seen error in their ways and became better people.
November 1, 2015
Grade: A
Best friends Blair's and Ardith's families put the capital D in dysfunction. Blair has to be prefect to help maintain the facade of a perfect family so that her mother will be nominated for judgeship. Never mind that her emotionally bankrupt parents don't seem to care about her feelings. Ardith artfully dodges sexual impropriety from her father, brother and his friends while her mother says, "Boys will be boys." Blair and Ardith just want to be loved appropriately. Both girls have a confession to make.
Both Blair and Ardith are flawed, imperfect characters who, at their core, just want to be loved and protected. At times I wanted to scoop both away from their families and give them safe places to live. Other times I wanted to beg them to tell their guidance counselor or Officer Dave what was happening. When they talk describe The Incident I felt both sympathetic and angry at their lack of forethought.
Laura Wiess masterfully shows LEFTOVERS in alternating chapters from both Ardith's and Blair's points of view in the unique second person that teens sometimes use. Both voices were strong in their vulnerability, sometimes unreliable due to their age appropriate limited insight, allowing readers to see what the girls do not.
I loved, loved, loved LEFTOVERS. Page one pulled me in and didn't let go until long after I finished. It left me wanting more. My only criticism is that I would have loved an epilogue. The end wasn't open, but didn't feel like enough. I wanted more.
THEMES: Friendship, family dysfunction, siblings, sexual abuse, rape
LEFTOVERS is a dark, delicious tale of friendship, dysfunctional families, sexual violence and the lengths two fifteen-year-olds will go to break away from abuse.
Best friends Blair's and Ardith's families put the capital D in dysfunction. Blair has to be prefect to help maintain the facade of a perfect family so that her mother will be nominated for judgeship. Never mind that her emotionally bankrupt parents don't seem to care about her feelings. Ardith artfully dodges sexual impropriety from her father, brother and his friends while her mother says, "Boys will be boys." Blair and Ardith just want to be loved appropriately. Both girls have a confession to make.
Both Blair and Ardith are flawed, imperfect characters who, at their core, just want to be loved and protected. At times I wanted to scoop both away from their families and give them safe places to live. Other times I wanted to beg them to tell their guidance counselor or Officer Dave what was happening. When they talk describe The Incident I felt both sympathetic and angry at their lack of forethought.
Laura Wiess masterfully shows LEFTOVERS in alternating chapters from both Ardith's and Blair's points of view in the unique second person that teens sometimes use. Both voices were strong in their vulnerability, sometimes unreliable due to their age appropriate limited insight, allowing readers to see what the girls do not.
I loved, loved, loved LEFTOVERS. Page one pulled me in and didn't let go until long after I finished. It left me wanting more. My only criticism is that I would have loved an epilogue. The end wasn't open, but didn't feel like enough. I wanted more.
THEMES: Friendship, family dysfunction, siblings, sexual abuse, rape
LEFTOVERS is a dark, delicious tale of friendship, dysfunctional families, sexual violence and the lengths two fifteen-year-olds will go to break away from abuse.
January 30, 2013
This story really allows you to see two different and completely heart breaking situations that children could go through. You have one character, Blair, that gets ignored and is basically treated as a doll, meaning she gets paraded around when needed. Then another character, Ardith, that is living without any kind of support, a life where she has to lock her door at night to protect her virginity. I find it hard to believe she wasn't raped sooner in life, just based on the crazy stuff the parents allowed to happen.
Ardith had people (family and visitors) that were overly sexual, drug users, and sexual assaulters. I get what she was dealing with. I found it easier to recognize Ardith's struggles and feel for her. I just hoped and prayed that things would be better. The more I read the more I assumed the worst possible ending for both girls, but instead it had a huge twist. But, with Blair she just seemed like a spoiled brat at the beginning of the story, slowly you find more and more reasons for Blair's destructive nature, and you just wanna give her a hug.
I would suggest that people should read this, the ending is completely different from what you might expect, but the story is interesting. Since the ending does kind of leave off in that "..." way you can fill in the blanks. I like to think that Ardith and Blair had happy endings. Even if it cost someone else, a lot. Poor, poor, Della, such a slap in the face reality gave her.
Ardith had people (family and visitors) that were overly sexual, drug users, and sexual assaulters. I get what she was dealing with. I found it easier to recognize Ardith's struggles and feel for her. I just hoped and prayed that things would be better. The more I read the more I assumed the worst possible ending for both girls, but instead it had a huge twist. But, with Blair she just seemed like a spoiled brat at the beginning of the story, slowly you find more and more reasons for Blair's destructive nature, and you just wanna give her a hug.
I would suggest that people should read this, the ending is completely different from what you might expect, but the story is interesting. Since the ending does kind of leave off in that "..." way you can fill in the blanks. I like to think that Ardith and Blair had happy endings. Even if it cost someone else, a lot. Poor, poor, Della, such a slap in the face reality gave her.
February 28, 2016
I want to like this book more than I do. I definitely sympathized with both Blair and Ardith, and I loved the way Wiess framed their backgrounds to show that two people from very different families can be equally as miserable (having money doesn't protect you from horrible people, as Blair learns), so I appreciated it on that level. But I dunno. Somewhere along the line it just lost me.
I was definitely interested in seeing what the big reveal would be, and while it made for an interesting twist that still made sense, I was pretty disappointed in the follow-up. The book just...ended, and very abruptly so. All that buildup for a few pages — at most — of follow-through and then a slapped-together ending with no real resolution? I know some people say you should leave your readers wanting more, but I don't think they mean "you should leave your readers wanting more because you robbed them of an actual resolution."
Yeah, yeah, 'life has no real resolution,' 'it's reflective of how ambiguous reality is,' blah, blah, I get it. But when you frame a story in this manner and the big pull of the narrative is figuring out what these girls were a part of in the end, not following through on said ending feels like cheating.
I was definitely interested in seeing what the big reveal would be, and while it made for an interesting twist that still made sense, I was pretty disappointed in the follow-up. The book just...ended, and very abruptly so. All that buildup for a few pages — at most — of follow-through and then a slapped-together ending with no real resolution? I know some people say you should leave your readers wanting more, but I don't think they mean "you should leave your readers wanting more because you robbed them of an actual resolution."
Yeah, yeah, 'life has no real resolution,' 'it's reflective of how ambiguous reality is,' blah, blah, I get it. But when you frame a story in this manner and the big pull of the narrative is figuring out what these girls were a part of in the end, not following through on said ending feels like cheating.
August 16, 2014
To say queen of contemporary teen fiction Laura Wiess's books are gritty, dark, and raw are understatements. While devastating, they're also can't-look-away reads of consistently high quality.
Leftovers is another wrenching psychological suspense, this time exploring predators and prey, setbacks and revenge. Are Blair and Ardith heroes or anti-heroes? They're definitely both victims, but is planning a set-up to take down others justifiable because of their pasts? Do they deserve punishment?
Ardith and Blair's characters are never static, switching from annoying to applause-worthy throughout the entire novel. They're not always agreeable, but they are understandable, which keeps the novel grounded. It's tense and gripping; with an ever-growing stain of dread. Leftovers is not a fun read, but it is a must-read.
Trigger warnings for the book:
Leftovers is another wrenching psychological suspense, this time exploring predators and prey, setbacks and revenge. Are Blair and Ardith heroes or anti-heroes? They're definitely both victims, but is planning a set-up to take down others justifiable because of their pasts? Do they deserve punishment?
Ardith and Blair's characters are never static, switching from annoying to applause-worthy throughout the entire novel. They're not always agreeable, but they are understandable, which keeps the novel grounded. It's tense and gripping; with an ever-growing stain of dread. Leftovers is not a fun read, but it is a must-read.
Trigger warnings for the book:
December 3, 2016
I love Laura Wiess, and this is a solid 3.5 stars, but t was a tiny bit of a bummer.
There is so much tension and raw emotion and suspense in Such a Pretty Girl, that I think I placed too many expectations on this text, forgetting it's a different type of story.
A sandwich of flashbacks, it's a non linear story told with two narrators, alluding to a police officer they've committed a crime....but they're slowly revealing their justification.
It's a shocking novel at times, and hard to read, but also important because it reflects so many emotional traumas teens face in our culture.
Creepy and intriguing, just not thrilling, it's admirable in its art, yet just okay in terms of entertainment.
There is so much tension and raw emotion and suspense in Such a Pretty Girl, that I think I placed too many expectations on this text, forgetting it's a different type of story.
A sandwich of flashbacks, it's a non linear story told with two narrators, alluding to a police officer they've committed a crime....but they're slowly revealing their justification.
It's a shocking novel at times, and hard to read, but also important because it reflects so many emotional traumas teens face in our culture.
Creepy and intriguing, just not thrilling, it's admirable in its art, yet just okay in terms of entertainment.
January 26, 2011
When I began reading the first few pages of this book I immedietly was drawn to this book. Throughout this book I loved how each coming event wanted me to keep reading. The main characters are Blair and Ardith. But the secondary characters are Officer and Dellansandra. Blair is a rich girl who lives with both of her parents; while Ardith is a girl who is kind of poor and lives with a mother who doesnt really care and a dad who drinks alot. When Blair first meets Ardiths brother, things begin to go wrong. When things with Blair get bad, then Ardith & Blair begin to grow apart as friends,until they attemtp to keep Dellansandra from getting hurt by Ardiths brother too.
August 27, 2015
honestly, this was such a good book. it shows us how girls actually are treated today, and as long as it doesn't affect anyone else then it's okay even though it's not. I really liked the way this book was written and how it's like a confession in 2nd person view. but I do wish the ending was more clear; like what happened with Blair and Ardith? are they still not allowed to be friends? did everything turn out alright? anyways all in all it's a good book and I loved it! would recommend it to feminists.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 11, 2008
I was surprised by how much I liked this book, especially since it was published by MTV Books. I somehow doubt I am the demographic they are going for. This was really well written and really took you back to the crazy days of middle school / high school when you as a teenage girl start realizing how to handle your sexuality and experimenting with the power you think it gives you over the boys in your school.
February 5, 2014
I love revenge stories and dark contemporary YA, and LEFTOVERS was right up my alley. The narrative style was unique and compelling, and I felt the book raised some interesting questions about blame and power in relation to gender. At times, this was a difficult book to read, and the ending felt a little rushed to me, but overall, I appreciated how raw and frank it was. I will definitely be picking up more books by Laura Wiess.
December 14, 2015
'So are you still rooting for us, Officer Dave, or has the manifestation of our anger shifted us from sympathetic victims to heartless predators? Are you going to be one of those people who, no matter what happens, blames the girls?'
this book is lyrical and visceral and beautiful and ugly all at the same time. It may or may not own my soul now.
this book is lyrical and visceral and beautiful and ugly all at the same time. It may or may not own my soul now.
September 5, 2016
"So are you still rooting for us, Officer Dave, or has the manifestation of our anger shifted us from sympathetic victims to heartless predators? Are you going to be one of those people who, no matter what happens, blames the girls?"
Really enjoyed this one. Scary in a way, and especially brutal when you get to the end, but a very important story told by two girls when growing up.
Really enjoyed this one. Scary in a way, and especially brutal when you get to the end, but a very important story told by two girls when growing up.
October 20, 2009
Teens will like this over-the-top story about rape, a toxic friendship, and the treatment of teen girls. Two things kept me from giving it a three-star rating: the second person point-of-view is annoying as hell and the author takes things to unnecessary extremes.
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