Project and content management for Contemporary Authors volumes
WORK TITLE: The Upside of Falling Down
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: http://www.rebekahcrane.com/
CITY:
STATE: CO
COUNTRY: United States
NATIONALITY: American
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Married; children: two.
EDUCATION:Attended Ohio University.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Writer. Has also worked as a high school English teacher and yoga instructor.
WRITINGS
SIDELIGHTS
Rebekah Crane is a writer of young-adult novels. While studying to become an English teacher, she found her personal connection to young adult fiction and eventually turned her attention to writing. Crane has additionally worked as a high school English teacher and a yoga instructor.
Playing Nice
In 2013 Crane published the novel Playing Nice. High school junior Marty is not sure that the life her controlling mother and frenemy, Sarah, have ushered her into is the one she wants. While Marty had been involved in helping to decorate and plan for the school dances, volunteering with senior citizens, and working hard to get high grades, she finds in transfer student Lil Hartfield the opportunity to explore a new side of her personality. Lil smokes, lives in an odd trailer, and enjoys angry punk rock music, making her the object of gossipers at school. While the gossip and cyber-bullying comes on thick in this small town suspicious of outsiders, Marty finds her new friend to be honest about who she is.
Reviewing the novel in the YA Misfits website, Dahlia Adler remarked that Marty’s second love interest is “a sweet finishing touch to an interesting and varied cast of characters I greatly enjoyed spending a couple of hours with. I highly recommend Playing Nice to anyone who enjoys contemporary fiction on the darker side of light and/or a strong focus on friendship over romance.” A contributor to the Ella Bee Reads blog shared that for “as much as I really like the honesty, I’m not sure I totally loved all the sex—in thought or in conversation. I get it, they’re teens, but I wish it was a little more subtle.” The Ella Bee Reads blog reviewer found the plot to be “unpredictable,” noting that it is “very much an attention grabber.” The same reviewer commented that the character development throughout the novel is “the absolute best part of the book. All of the characters develop logically and do what someone in their position would do, even though it’s not necessarily what a typical YA book would have them do.” The Ella Bee Reads blog reviewer claimed that “this return to a more classic YA approach is truly refreshing and definitely worth your time.”
Aspen
Crane published the novel Aspen in 2014. Aspen Yellow-Sunrise Taylor suffers from horrible nightmares and day dreams by reliving a tragic car accident that killed Katelyn and left her with a permanent scar on her face and a broken leg at the start of her senior year in high school. While the police believe that driver Katelyn was ultimately responsible for the accident, Aspen believes that it was indirectly her fault. Her attempts to suppress that belief leaves her in torment as Katelyn’s death hangs over her. While Aspen had been an outcast in school, she now finds that she has been included in social circles that she had beenpreviously excluded from—particularly among Katelyn’s friends. This even leads to her being voted homecoming queen. Additionally troublesome is her relationship with her mother and growing feelings for Katelyn’s former boyfriend.
Writing in School Library Journal, Cary Frostick opine that “this is a tight, impeccably paced story with well-defined characters and intriguing relationships that will resonate with older teens.” Frostick took notice of the “dry, often dark, humor” used to break up the more tense moments in the novel. A contributor reviewing the novel in the Geeky Chiquitas blog confessed: “I did not expect to like this book as much as I did, but wow, it was just phenomenal. Too beautiful for words. There are only few books that leave me speechless after reading it, and Aspen is one of them.”
The Odds of Loving Grover Cleveland
In 2016 Crane published the novel The Odds of Loving Grover Cleveland. Sixteen-year-old Zander Osborne is haunted by her sister’s death and feels pressured by her parents’ unreasonable expectations for her life. Zander is sent to Camp Padua, a summer camp organized for at-risk teens. Zander cannot relate to any of the other teens, writing them off as being crazy. Zander eventually benefits from the “share-apy” approach to counseling and late-night rendezvous with other campers and opens up. She also meets Grover Cleveland, a teen who is paranoid about eventually becoming schizophrenic like his father. Together with rebellious and anorexic Cassie and also overweight, compulsive liar Bek, the four share secrets and form a close bond as they challenge authority at the camp. As the foursome develops over the course of the camp, they come to better understand their own vulnerability and the pleasures that can come from adult responsibilities.
Reviewing the novel in Voice of Youth Advocates, Lucy Schall observed that “engaging letters home … reveal characters’ growth.” Schall likened to be a “The Breakfast Club-on steroids novel.” Schall concluded that “it is a great read for teens.” Reviewing the novel in RT Book Reviews, Bridget Keown lauded that “the true beauty of Crane’s” The Odds of Loving Grover Cleveland “lies in the way she handles the ugly, painful details of real life.”
The Upside of Falling Down
Crane published the novel The Upside of Falling Down in 2018. After waking up in an Irish hospital, eighteen-year-old American Clementine Haas realizes that she cannot remember why she is there or anything else about her life. Her father travels to Ireland to meet her in the hospital, but she sees the disappointment on his face over her lack of memory. Unable to stand it any longer, Clementine runs away, unsure of whether she is looking for who she is or if she will simply start over. Kieran helps her adjust along with new friends Siobhan and Clive. Clementine falls in love with her perceived savior, Kieran, while coping with the freedom she has in her new life.
A contributor to Kirkus Reviews described the novel as being “a light exploration of existential themes.” The same reviewer insisted of Clementine that “readers will respond to her testing of new waters.” A Publishers Weekly contributor observed that “much of the charm relies on the Irish setting” and Kieran’s good looks. However, the reviewer conceded that “impulsive and spirited Teeny is equally enjoyable.” In a review in School Library Journal, Sara Jurek suggested that “this quickly paced work will be enjoyed by teens interested in independence, love, self-discovery, and drama.”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Kirkus Reviews, November 15, 2017, review of The Upside of Falling Down.
Publishers Weekly, November 13, 2017, review of The Upside of Falling Down, p. 66.
School Library Journal, June 1, 2014. Cary Frostick, review of Aspen, p. 116; December 1, 2017, Sara Jurek, review of The Upside of Falling Down, p. 106.
Voice of Youth Advocates, December 1, 2016, Lucy Schall, review of The Odds of Loving Grover Cleveland, p. 58.
ONLINE
Ella Bee Reads, http://ellabeereads.blogspot.com/ (January 24, 2013), review of Playing Nice.
Geeky Chiquitas, http://geekychiquitas.blogspot.com/ (January 1, 2015), Dahlia Adler, review of Aspen.
Rebekah Crane Website, http://www.rebekahcrane.com (March 18, 2018).
RT Book Reviews, https://www.rtbookreviews.com/ (December 1, 2016), Bridget Keown, review of The Odds of Loving Grover Cleveland.
YA Misfits, http://www.yamisfits.com/ (February 1, 2013), review of Playing Nice.
Rebekah Crane fell in love with YA literature while studying Secondary English Education at Ohio University. After having two kids, living in six different cities, and finally settling down in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, her first novel, PLAYING NICE, was published. ASPEN, her second YA novel, released in June 2014. Rebekah's other accomplishments include: World's Biggest Julie Andrews Fan and current girlfriend to Jane Austen (it's kind of a one-sided relationship). She is also widely known for singing an impeccable rendition of Janis Joplin's "Me and My Bobby McGee" and credits herself with single-handedly bringing back tie-dye.
Rebekah now spends her day carpooling kids or tucked behind a laptop at 7,500 ft high in the Rockies, where the altitude only enhances the writing experience.
FAQS
Hi! If you don't see your question below, you can always email me or my publisher. Information is on the contact page.
1) Is PLAYING NICE the only book you've written?
A. It's the only book I've written that is published at the moment. ASPEN is my second book that will be published in 2014. I have one other lonely manuscript that sits on my computer that will most likely never see the light of day.
2) Where can I buy PLAYING NICE?
A. On Amazon in January 2013, and eventually anywhere e-books are sold.
3) Can I interview you?
A. Sure! Email me at rebekah@rebekahcrane.com
4) I want to read PLAYING NICE with my book club. Will you come and talk to our group?
A. If you're in the Denver area and want to read PLAYING NICE with your book club, email me at rebekah@rebekahcrane.com and we'll talk. If you're outside of Denver, email me too. Skype/FaceTime are wonderful tools. :)
5) I want my school to read PLAYING NICE. Will you come and talk with us?
A. If I could visit every school in America that reads PN, I would. Email me. rebekah@rebekahcrane.com
6) I made a video book trailer for PLAYING NICE. Will you post it on your website?
A. Most likely! Send it to me. Same email as above.
7) Will you read my manuscript?
A. I wish I had the time, truly. But I'm sorry, I can't.
8) How did you get your book published?
A. My story is very unique and not usual to the publishing world. My advice: write a great book, get fantastic critique partners, revise your great book, revise your great book again, learn about the publishing industry, query agents/publishers, don't be afraid of rejection.
9) Did you grow up in Minster?
A. No, but I grew up in Ohio. O-H-I-O.
10) Do you listen to punk music like Lil?
A. Lil would spit on my music taste, though I have some memories from high school that include the Violent Femmes, which I won't share on this site... for good reason.
11) Do you have a hidden poetry collection?
A. No. In fact, I didn't write a single poem for pleasure until I wrote PLAYING NICE. Marty's poems are my first.
12) What is your favorite musical?
A. Ragtime. I cried when I saw it on Broadway in high school. I also have a slight obsession with Julie Andrews, but that is totally understandable. She is a goddess.
13) Do you drive around with the windows rolled down, screaming at the top of your lungs?
A. At least once a week.
14) Would you have dated Matt or Alex in high school?
A. I'm not telling (but I will say I married my high school boyfriend).
Rebekah Crane is the author of The Odds of Loving Grover Cleveland and other young-adult novels. She found a passion for this genre while studying secondary English education at Ohio University. She is a former high school English teacher, a yoga instructor, and the mother of two girls. After living and teaching in six different cities, Rebekah finally settled in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains to write novels and work on screenplays. She now spends her days tucked behind a laptop at seventy-five hundred feet, where the altitude only enhances the writing experience.
Crane, Rebekah: THE UPSIDE OF
FALLING DOWN
Kirkus Reviews.
(Nov. 15, 2017):
COPYRIGHT 2017 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Full Text:
Crane, Rebekah THE UPSIDE OF FALLING DOWN Skyscape (Children's Fiction) $9.99 1, 30 ISBN:
978-1-61218-722-8
When Clementine Haas wakes up in a hospital, she has no recollection of the past 18 years of her life, let
alone why she's there.
The white teenager is horrified to learn she is the lone survivor of a terrible plane crash in Ireland. When her
father arrives from America, she feels nothing and runs away. She doesn't know if she's trying to find or
lose Clementine, but she can't stay in that hospital any longer, disappointing everyone by not remembering.
She dares 20-year-old Irishman Kieran O'Connell to get her away from the hospital, and he takes her to the
small village of Waterville, where Clementine is able to relax and slowly try to figure out who she is.
Clementine meets Kieran's pregnant twin sister, Siobhan, and Clive, a bisexual man with a mohawk who
owns a used book and record store (and who offers the only diversity in the book other than Stephen, a gay,
Jewish nurse). Unsurprisingly, she falls head over heels in love with Kieran, feeling an overpowering
connection with him. Using the device of Clementine's amnesia, Crane explores themes of freedom and
self-determination. Her freedom to remake herself in Waterville begins with a purple dye job and a fake
name but doesn't end there; readers will respond to her testing of new waters.
A light exploration of existential themes. (Fiction. 14-18)
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"Crane, Rebekah: THE UPSIDE OF FALLING DOWN." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Nov. 2017. General OneFile,
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A514267820/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=a5437624.
Accessed 4 Mar. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A514267820
3/4/2018 General OneFile - Saved Articles
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/marklist.do?actionCmd=GET_MARK_LIST&userGroupName=schlager&inPS=true&prodId=ITOF&ts=1520198804557 2/5
The Upside of Falling Down
Publishers Weekly.
264.46 (Nov. 13, 2017): p66.
COPYRIGHT 2017 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
The Upside of Falling Down
Rebekah Crane. Skyscape, $9.99 trade paper (258p) ISBN 978-1-6121-8722-8
Clementine Haas is the sole survivor of a plane crash outside of Shannon, Ireland. Having developed
amnesia, Teeny (the 18-year-old's childhood nickname) panics when she realizes that she can't remember
anything about her life before the accident. After meeting college student and reluctant rich kid Kieran
O'Connell in the hospital courtyard, she dares him to take her away for a few days, hoping to avoid the
media and the father she can't remember, who is on his way to retrieve her. Surprisingly, he agrees. Now
calling herself, Jane, she moves into the home Kieran shares with his pregnant twin sister, Siobhan. Slowly,
Teeny and Kieran begin to fall for each other, but she is haunted by the fragmented memories of her old life.
Crane (The Odds of Loving Grover Cleveland) writes a predictable but appealing love story that provides
romantics with many swoon-worthy moments. While much of the charm relies on the Irish setting and the
brooding good looks and lilting brogue of leading man Kieran, impulsive and spirited Teeny is equally
enjoyable. Ages 14-up. Agent: Renee Nyen, KT Literary. (Jan.)
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"The Upside of Falling Down." Publishers Weekly, 13 Nov. 2017, p. 66. General OneFile,
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A515326083/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=2c45bdd9.
Accessed 4 Mar. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A515326083
3/4/2018 General OneFile - Saved Articles
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/marklist.do?actionCmd=GET_MARK_LIST&userGroupName=schlager&inPS=true&prodId=ITOF&ts=1520198804557 3/5
Crane, Rebekah. The Odds of Loving
Grover Cleveland
Lucy Schall
Voice of Youth Advocates.
39.5 (Dec. 2016): p58.
COPYRIGHT 2016 E L Kurdyla Publishing LLC
http://www.voya.com
Full Text:
5Q * 4P * J * S
Crane, Rebekah. The Odds of Loving Grover Cleveland. Skyscape, 2016. 272p. $9.99 Trade pb. 978-1-
5039-3982-0.
Plagued by her sister's death and her family's expectations, sixteen-year-old Zander stops feeling. Her
parents send her to Camp Padua, a summer camp for at-risk teens, where she sees everyone as crazy.
Through "share-apy" and forbidden night meetings, Zander rediscovers pain and compassion. Grover
Cleveland, sensitive and confrontational, fears that he will one day be schizophrenic like his father. He
influences Zander to befriend the rule-breaking, obnoxious, abused Cassie, who has anorexia and hails from
the foster system. He also welcomes Bek, an overweight, charming, compulsive liar. The four bond when
they buck the rules, test relationships, and reveal secrets. By the end of this The Breakfast Club-on-steroids
novel, they look forward to another summer at camp.
Crane builds believable, appealing characters who find a safe place to challenge authority. At first, camp
slogans seem cliche to both characters and reader, but they gain credibility as Zander and friends realize the
difficulty and joy of vulnerability and adult responsibility. Engaging letters home that reveal characters'
growth introduce each chapter. Section labels that begin with "Knowing Yourself" and conclude with
"Hope" mark progress. A near-tragedy motivates even the counselors to reveal what led them to Camp
Padua. It is a great read for teens, e
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CRANE, Rebekah. The Upside of Falling
Down
Sara Jurek
School Library Journal.
63.12 (Dec. 2017): p106+.
COPYRIGHT 2017 Library Journals, LLC. A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No
redistribution permitted.
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/
Full Text:
CRANE, Rebekah. The Upside of Falling Down. 271p. Amazon/Skyscape. Jan. 2018. pap. $9.99. ISBN
9781612187228.
Gr 9 Up-Waking up in an Irish hospital, Clementine Haas has no idea why she's there. She is informed that
she's an 18-yearold from Ohio and the lone survivor of a plane crash. Clementine has total amnesia. During
her brief stay in the hospital, the protagonist meets a handsome stranger in the courtyard. Her father has
come to fetch her from the hospital but Clementine, too scared to face the life she doesn't remember,
convinces the handsome stranger Kieran to take her away. She needs a chance to find herself and to
hopefully figure out why she has a green heart tattoo on her foot that disgusts her. The story that follows is
of Clementine's slow self-discovery, Kieran's mysterious reticence, and a lot of attitude from Kieran's
pregnant twin sister, Siobhan. Clementine uses this experience to teach herself and those around her to
embrace the life one has. The teen doesn't want to live recklessly, but does want to live the life she chooses
on her own terms. VERDICT This quickly paced work will be enjoyed by teens interested in independence,
love, self-discovery, and drama. A good choice for most YA shelves.--Sara Jurek, Children's English
Library, Stuttgart, Germany
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
Jurek, Sara. "CRANE, Rebekah. The Upside of Falling Down." School Library Journal, Dec. 2017, p.
106+. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A516634105/ITOF?
u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=b987ef83. Accessed 4 Mar. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A516634105
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Crane, Rebekah. Aspen
Cary Frostick
School Library Journal.
60.6 (June 2014): p116.
COPYRIGHT 2014 Library Journals, LLC. A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No
redistribution permitted.
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/
Full Text:
CRANE, Rebekah. Aspen. 236p. In This Together Media. Jun. 2014. pap. $12.99. ISBN 9781496139436.
Gr 9 Up--Aspen Yellow-Sunrise Taylor sees dead people, or more precisely, the one dead person who
haunts her every waking moment, which is pretty much 24/7 since she can no longer sleep without reliving
a terrible car accident. One month before the start of senior year, a head-on collision kills the beautiful and
popular Katelyn, and leaves Aspen with a permanent facial scar and a broken leg. The police investigation
determines that Katelyn was the driver at fault, but Aspen suspects that she may have been to blame and is
actively suppressing the memory to avoid facing that possibility. Once school starts, however, the teen
discovers that her senior year will be defined by the accident. Formerly a self-proclaimed outcast, she is
now sought out by Katelyn's best friend and other classmates who had previously seemed barely aware of
her existence. Her newfound and discomforting notoriety even get her elected as homecoming queen.
Further complicating her life are her role-reversed relationship with her pot-smoking mother and the
growing feelings she shares with Katelyn's former boyfriend. Aspen's determined avoidance of
subconscious guilt, in the form of Katelyn's finger-pointing ghost, put her on a roller-coaster ride toward the
brink of physical and emotional collapse. Crane provides a generous helping of dry, often dark, humor to
relieve the mounting tension. Colored by its backdrop of present-day Boulder, Colorado with its legal
marijuana and retro hippie culture, this is a tight, impeccably paced story with well-defined characters and
intriguing relationships that will resonate with older teens.--Cary Frostick, formerly at Mary Riley Styles
Public Library, Falls Church, VA
Frostick, Cary
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
Frostick, Cary. "Crane, Rebekah. Aspen." School Library Journal, June 2014, p. 116. General OneFile,
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A370319564/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=8505a228.
Accessed 4 Mar. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A370319564
THE ODDS OF LOVING GROVER CLEVELAND
Image of The Odds of Loving Grover Cleveland
Author(s): Rebekah Crane
2016 – Young Adult Contemporary nominee
The true beauty of Crane’s book lies in the way she handles the ugly, painful details of real life, showing the glimmering humanity beneath the façades of even her most troubled characters. She launches her story with snarky humor and quirky, larger-than-life characters, drawing readers into the plot and into each protagonist’s private battles, particularly those of her wonderfully honest, increasingly insightful heroine. As these characterizations deepen, and the sweetly strange romance between the heroine and her hero develops, readers will only be pulled deeper into this addictive, readable journey. Crane shows, with enormous heart and wisdom, how even the unlikeliest of friendships can give us the strength we need to keep on fighting.
As far as Zander Osborne is concerned, she has no reason to attend Camp Padua, a summer camp for at-risk teens. She simply wants to be left alone — which is nearly impossible with so many confounding campers around. Chief among those is Grover Cleveland, a confrontational (but somehow charming) boy who is convinced he will soon be schizophrenic, and who makes Zander feel more than she knows how to admit. (SKYSCAPE, Dec., 272 pp., $9.99, 12 & Up)
Reviewed by:
Bridget Keown
BOOK IN REVIEW: ASPEN BY REBEKAH CRANE
5:57 PM
Title: Aspen
Author: Rebekah Crane
Publishing Date: June 5th, 2014
Publisher: In This Together Media
Rating: 5/5 stars
Summary:
One quiet night in Boulder, Colorado, Aspen Yellow-Sunrise Taylor made a mistake.
In the next instant, her life changed forever.
Aspen doesn't want to remember the car accident that killed Katelyn Ryan, a sleek-haired popular soccer player. But forgetting is hard-- because Katelyn may have died -- but she didn't leave. Her ghost is following Aspen around, and heading into senior year, it's kind of a problem. Especially when Katelyn's former boyfriend Ben appears to be the only person at school with a clue as to how Aspen feels.
Popularity, Homecoming Court, hot guys - none of these things ever mattered to Aspen. She's been busy trying to keep her stoner mother Ninny in line and out of unemployment. But with Ben sitting next to her in Physics and her therapist begging her to remember all the things she wants to forget, Aspen is thrust into a vivid, challenging world she can't control ... and doesn't want to.
A darkly funny, emotionally gripping story of opening up, letting go, and moving on, Aspen is about the best-worst accident of your life ... and what comes next.
I did not expect to like this book as much as I did, but wow, it was just phenomenal. Too beautiful for words. There are only few books that leave me speechless after reading it, and Aspen is one of them. This book gave me a lot of feelings, and I was engrossed with the story since page one.
Aspen is such a well-crafted and endearing character. I loved getting into her head and thought she is an incredible narrator. I loved her honesty and her sense of humor. I loved how she has giant curly hair, and I loved her habit of memorizing dictionary definitions. She is a character that I'm pretty sure a lot of teenagers can relate to, because she is just so effortlessly genuine.
Aspen's mother, Ninny, is also pretty unique, in her own weird way. She's not your typical parent in any other young adult book. She's what you say, a bit irresponsible with her drug intake, and her promiscuous escapades. And so, Aspen is the one who has to take care of Ninny all the time, making Aspen so mature beyond her years. What I loved about Ninny though is that even though she may be a tad bit irresponsible, she sincerely cares about Aspen a lot and wants her to be happy.
Aspen's love interest, Ben, is to die for! He is one of my favorite book boyfriends, EVER and I just love how he is so naturally kind and gentle, and just plain beautiful. He's the kind of guy who always has good intentions and would do anything for you, even lie down with you on the street for no reason! I really wanted to hug him for that.
The secondary characters are also well fleshed out. Kim and Cass, Aspen's two best friends, are both so interesting and unique, and I loved their witty exchanges. Suzy, the popular girl, also took me by surprise when she approaches Aspen. I thought she is being all fake and plastic, but she really just wants a new friend.
I really adored all the characters in this book, which is something that I tend to look for in books for me to decide whether or not I like it. The story is also well-paced and I never found a dull moment reading it. It spoke to me in ways unimaginable and I really connected with it. The execution is just perfect, and the best parts of it all were the excellent characters and the lovely writing.
This book is a breath of fresh air, and I wish to read more YA books like this!
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TAGS: 2014 books, 5 stars book review, aspen, book review, contemporary, kimi, rebekah crane, ya contemporary, young adult
Review of PLAYING NICE by Rebekah Crane
Dahlia Adler Friday, February 01, 2013 3 comments
Review of PLAYING NICE by Rebekah Crane (In This Together Media, January 2013)
"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." (from RebekahCrane.com)
It's not the most unique concept - one part Jenny O'Connell's THE BOOK OF LUKE to three parts Kirsten Hubbard's LIKE MANDARIN - but the actual voice of Rebekah Crane's PLAYING NICE is so consistently unexpected that the book manages to feel fresh and new with every chapter. Marty is one of the more believable teen characters I've come across in a while: eager to please, silently resentful, and sexually curious. (Sound like anyone else you knew at sixteen, like maybe... yourself? No? Just me?) While plot twists and turns may not have thrown me, the characters and dialogue often did, providing a pleasantly surprising edge and even raunchiness where least expected.
What really sold me on PLAYING NICE, though, is that it's not just about Rebekah's decision to stop "playing nice," but rather about her realization that that's all everyone else in her small town is really doing. From her parents to her best friend to the guy who's got her heart and attention, everyone else in Minster's kindness is only skin deep, and nothing brings out the truth in both Marty and those around her like her new best friend, Lil. (Well, and Lil's mother, who's the actual center of all the controversy). It's interesting to see a character grow not only in terms of her own personal development but in the way she understands those around her - that friend who's not as supportive as she should be, the parents who actually don't know best, and the dream guy who may not be the ideal after all.
There is one by-all-accounts "nice" character, the too-perfect-to-be-true love interest #2 (no, don't worry, this isn't one of those irritating love triangles) who would probably continue to worship Marty even if she took a curling iron to his face. His slavish devotion to a girl who displays no interest is probably his only flaw, but he's a sweet finishing touch to an interesting and varied cast of characters I greatly enjoyed spending a couple of hours with. I highly recommend PLAYING NICE to anyone who enjoys contemporary fiction on the darker side of light and/or a strong focus on friendship over romance.
You can add PLAYING NICE on Goodreads here!
You can follow the author, Rebekah Crane, on Twitter here!
You can check out the author's website here!
Posted in: Book Review,Casual Friday,Dahlia Adler,PLAYING NICE
January 24, 2013
Review: Playing Nice by Rebekah Crane
Title: Playing Nice
Author: Rebekah Crane
Release Date: January 3rd, 2013
Publisher: In This Together Media
Page Count: 209
Source: E-Book Provided by Author
Rating: ★★★★☆
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.
PLAYING NICE is the achingly true 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.
[Summary Source: Goodreads]
THE REVIEW
I had a lot of fun reading this book. It's really honest and really returns to the fundamentals of YA contemporary. As in, it's not about jet-setting, nor is the main character's sole focus somehow finding the love of her life. No, Playing Nice is an introspective commentary on Marty's life and the most important secondary character ISN'T the love interest, but the best friend who facilitates Marty's personal growth - something I don't think is generally done now-a-days.
Let's break this down
Marty. I'll start with Marty since this book is truly all about her. I mean, maybe it's a little bit about Lil, but, personally, I think it's more about how Marty develops based on her interactions with Lil. But I digress. Marty. At the beginning of the book she comes off as really rigid. There are rules, she is nice, this is how it goes. I can't say whether or not I believe a person like this could exist in real life without figuring out at some point that, no, it's not really possible to always play nice, but that's the facade Marty holds until she meets Lil. Lil is this bad girl - not the first bad kid Marty's met, by any means, but the first one she's been challenged to be nice to. And nice girl Marty's never one to turn down a challenge.
But, the result of Marty's kindness isn't exactly what she thought it would be. Instead of Lil getting acclimated to her new school, Lil helps Marty get acclimated with the idea of being the person she really is instead of the person everyone expects her to be. It's not an obvious shift. To be completely honest with you guys, I never really saw any Marty's actions coming. Does that make sense? As in, something would happen to her, but I could never guess what she was going to do next. Which just goes to show that this whole change was not only outside of the reader's control but also outside of Marty's, which makes the whole thing feel really organic and really believable. I think the only thing in the book that was truly predictable was Marty's best friend's reaction to the change. But the way that turns out even surprises me at the end.
I also really want to talk about Lil. Lil is your typical "bad girl" at first glance, but it turns out she really has a reason for her behavior - which isn't all that bad, if you really think about it. It's just that she's more open than everyone else and, in a small town, that equals bad. Anyway, that reason for Lil's behavior? I partially guessed, but the rest of the reason - the worst of it, really - makes the whole book worth reading a second time. Rebekah really didn't hold back with that portion of the plot. In fact, she doesn't really hold back at all. Even when Marty is trying to keep her nice-girl thing going for her on the outside, her inside is totally candid with the audience.
My only issue with the book is that as much as I really like the honesty, I'm not sure I totally loved all the sex - in thought or in conversation. I get it, they're teens, but I wish it was a little more subtle. I don't know, maybe I'm just sensitive to that stuff. But it really didn't bother me too much, considering how strong and important the character development and message of this book are.
Speaking of the message of this book: there are a lot of them. Some come from Marty, about being true to yourself and all that jazz. Bits also come from Alex, who's the sweet, patient jock (Okay, he doesn't really serve up any monumental messages, but he's so CUTE I have to mention him SOMEWHERE). Others come from Lil, when it comes to dealing with the consequences of someone else's actions. I would also say Matt even sheds a little light on the classic bad boy persona, which I really enjoyed. And then there's also Lil's mom and Marty's mom. They obviously both have very different sets of circumstances to deal with to be sure, but their values don't necessarily conflict. What I mean to say is that they both want to keep their families together. They both want to have everything be the best it can possibly be. Granted, it seems as though Marty's mom is marginally more successful than Lil's mom, but it's a similar, common and honest maternal instinct, even if they express it in two entirely different ways.
I feel like that last paragraph didn't make very much sense unless you've read the book, but the desire to understand what I'm talking about should be enough to convince you to pick up Playing Nice. I mean, who doesn't love a good, life-lessons, personal development, non-preachy, contemp YA novel? Or rather, I do, therefore you should too! :)
The long and short of it?
Plot: Unpredictable - very much an attention grabber.
World Building: Plausible: the small town that can't accept anything different. It's been done a bunch, but it's not always as convincing as it is in Playing Nice.
Character Development: The absolute best part of the book. All of the characters develop logically and do what someone in their position WOULD do, even though it's not necessarily what a typical YA book would have them do.
Prose: Sometimes gets a little awk with all the mentions of sex, but mostly pretty fluid.
Would I Recommend This Book?: This return to a more classic YA approach is truly refreshing and definitely worth your time.
I feel like this book's a little under-the-radar. Not to mention it just came out. But in the event that you've read it, how do you feel about it? Did the characters impress you the way they impressed me? Let me know in the comments below!
**IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Yesterday I posted and interview and giveaway for Playing Nice. So go enter to win a FREE COPY of either an e-book or finished copy of the book. Really, why wouldn't you want a free book?**