Wasted

by L.A. Weatherly

For Jake, playing his guitar is his only respite from life with his alcoholic mother. When he runs away from home to escape his mother's violence, he ends up in a squat and resorts to busking to earn some cash. But will music help him get home? Gritty urban story.

55 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2010

About the author

Lee Weatherly was born in 1967 and grew up in Little Rock, Arkansas, USA. She lives with her husband in Hampshire, England, where she writes, goes on walks, tries out new recipes and has a cat named Bernard.

L.A. Weatherly is the pseudonym for Lee Weatherly. You can follow her on Twitter at @LA_Weatherly

Reviews

[Bioquímica da Leitura · Rating 4 out of 5]

https://bioquimicadaleitura.blogspot....

Um livro que descobri aleatoriamente numa estante no Reino Unido, era pequeno, pelo que li-o lá na biblioteca.
O Jake é um adolescente que vive com a sua mãe alcoólica, o que em si já é difícil, porém esta culpa-o pelo seu namorado a deixar e certa vez num acto de ira, ataca-o com uma garrafa partida. Ao temer pela sua vida e sem saber o que fazer ou a quem recorrer, o rapaz foge de casa com a sua guitarra e a roupa que tem no corpo.
O moço anda a perambular pela rua durante uns tempos, até que se junta a um grupo de sem abrigos, cujo líder decide ajudá-lo e acolhê-lo, contudo não sem pedir algo em troca.
O livro retrata uma dura realidade vivida por muitos, a convivência com entes que padecem de uma doença que necessita de tratamento, e muitas vezes, infelizmente, recai para actos violentos junto daqueles que deviam ser os que mais amam e juraram proteger.
De notar que esta é uma obra dislexia "friendly".

[Kira K · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoughts:
This is so impactful for such a short book. I instantly felt for Jake, he is such a strong and resilient young boy. Seeing what young people on the streets go through is really saddening but something we all should know more about. I really liked the ending, as it gives any children reading this with similar life experiences like Jake’s some hope.

Favourite Quote:
“You should love your mum, but I don't know if I do. Sometimes I even think I hate her. But I still don't want anyone to hurt her. I know how she'd look if I turned her in. It makes me feel bad even thinking about it.”

[Rhuddem Gwelin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Young people might like this a lot. It's so short it's almost cheating to count it as a book but it is a book and it was depressingly readable about a kid with a mum who's a drunk. Very pedagogically written, but that was the point. It serves a good purpose.

[a🐝]

Someone spilt their water bottle over this book so I read it while I used a hair dryer on it