by Rebekah Crane
BOOK DESCRIPTION
Martina "Marty" Hart is really nice. At least, that's what
people think.
It's Marty's junior year at Minster High. Minster's a small town where making great grades, smiling pretty, helping old people, running the new-student Welcoming Committee, and putting up decorations for all the dances--including the totally awful Hot Shot fall hunting celebration--gets you ... what? Marty's not sure. Instead of dreaming about a sororities-and-frats future at nearby University of Michigan, she's restless, searching for a way out of the box her controlling mother and best frenemy Sarah have locked her in. When Lil--don't call her Lily!--Hatfield transfers to Minster, Marty gets her chance. Lil's different. She smokes, wears black, listens to angry punk records, and lives in a weird trailer with her mother. Lil has secrets--secrets that make her a target for all the gossiping and online bullying Minster can muster. But so does Marty. And Marty sees something different in Lil. Something honest. Something real.
It's Marty's junior year at Minster High. Minster's a small town where making great grades, smiling pretty, helping old people, running the new-student Welcoming Committee, and putting up decorations for all the dances--including the totally awful Hot Shot fall hunting celebration--gets you ... what? Marty's not sure. Instead of dreaming about a sororities-and-frats future at nearby University of Michigan, she's restless, searching for a way out of the box her controlling mother and best frenemy Sarah have locked her in. When Lil--don't call her Lily!--Hatfield transfers to Minster, Marty gets her chance. Lil's different. She smokes, wears black, listens to angry punk records, and lives in a weird trailer with her mother. Lil has secrets--secrets that make her a target for all the gossiping and online bullying Minster can muster. But so does Marty. And Marty sees something different in Lil. Something honest. Something real.
Playing Nice is the achingly real story of a girl who's
been following the rules for so long she's forgotten who she was when she
started. It's about falling in love with the wrong people and not seeing the
right ones, about the moments in life when you step out of line, take a chance
... and begin to break free.
REVIEWS
5.0 out of 5 stars Hilarious,
thought provoking, and beautiful.
January 4, 2013
By Anna
Feneis
Format:Kindle
Edition|Amazon Verified
Purchase
Playing Nice is witty, dry, and incredibly real. I connected
with the characters immediately and couldn't help but imagine myself growing
with them. This book has it all- it is funny but also very relative and
sentimental. I loved Playing Nice and you will too.
5.0 out of 5 stars An
Extraordinary Read! I'd give it more stars if I could! January 4,
2013
Format:Kindle
Edition|Amazon Verified
Purchase
It's hard not to love this book. I'm not a huge fan of
straight young adult but I LOVED this book. Normally, I wait for that twist,
that thing that pushes your imagination to the limits. Nothing in this book is
too crazy. Even the most horrendous, appalling moments are (unfortunately)
completely believable and they happen every day. It is a beautiful vision of the
appalling truth behind prejudice, arrogance and (what I hope we all strive for)
empathy.
The Fabulous: I had a really hard time picking a favorite character. My initial reaction was Lil, but that was too easy. Her strength was palpable, yet she had a depth of despair that she barely hid. Marty's Dad was an amazing character as well, and his scene with Marty in their kitchen was incredibly touching. Of course, Alex is the perfect mix of humor and kindness for a girl just trying to figure things out. And who doesn't still wonder WTF was Matt thinking. Yes, that deserves the F. In the end, the most fabulous thing about this book is that you can't pick a favorite. They're all too real.
The Flaws: It ends.
Favorite Moments: There were so many in this book. The trip to the store to pick out decorations for the dance. The awful moment where gossip makes someone a victim. The jelly bracelet. Mom's humanity. The life and death of being a social teenager. It's just all perfect.
Best line: "You're all a bunch of penguins. Penguins!"
The one that brought tears: "Everyone leaves."
Buy it, this book is definitely worth it.
The Fabulous: I had a really hard time picking a favorite character. My initial reaction was Lil, but that was too easy. Her strength was palpable, yet she had a depth of despair that she barely hid. Marty's Dad was an amazing character as well, and his scene with Marty in their kitchen was incredibly touching. Of course, Alex is the perfect mix of humor and kindness for a girl just trying to figure things out. And who doesn't still wonder WTF was Matt thinking. Yes, that deserves the F. In the end, the most fabulous thing about this book is that you can't pick a favorite. They're all too real.
The Flaws: It ends.
Favorite Moments: There were so many in this book. The trip to the store to pick out decorations for the dance. The awful moment where gossip makes someone a victim. The jelly bracelet. Mom's humanity. The life and death of being a social teenager. It's just all perfect.
Best line: "You're all a bunch of penguins. Penguins!"
The one that brought tears: "Everyone leaves."
Buy it, this book is definitely worth it.
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