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thewallflower00's review
2.0
In the ghetto, if a boy does anal sex on you, it means he's ready for a relationship.
This feels like "Pride and Prejudice" in the PJ's. It reads like a generic YA romance but with the trappings of so many early 90's "gangsta" movies. Kind of. The main conflict is that Kendra's mother is back after her post-graduate degree, and Kendra's hoping she'll finally take her away from the neighborhood and the strict-ass grandmother who's been raising her for sixteen years.
But the bigger crux of the book is her boy crushes and her sexually acting out as a result of this negligence. Kendra's better than that, but the past is repeating herself as she waffles between the nice guy and the bad boy player, as cliche dictates. Of course, as far as generic YA romance goes, it ends there. Kendra pulls away from sex with the bad boy at the last second, cautious of losing her virginity (for disciplinary and moral reasons). He doesn't force himself or respect her wishes or grow resentful -- he's "going to need something". That devolves into booty calls in the closet after school leading to the butt sex so she can remain "chaste".
And after all that, the fudge packer confesses affectionate feelings for her. And they start going out together. Is this a realistic scenario? Yes. Maturity rides up fast in risky situations. Does it send a good message to American youth? No, it does not. I'm not going to say that a writer can't write what he/she wants, but I'm a believer that books "teach you that dragons can be killed". This moral seems to be, if you give up the rough enough, love is just around the corner.
This feels like "Pride and Prejudice" in the PJ's. It reads like a generic YA romance but with the trappings of so many early 90's "gangsta" movies. Kind of. The main conflict is that Kendra's mother is back after her post-graduate degree, and Kendra's hoping she'll finally take her away from the neighborhood and the strict-ass grandmother who's been raising her for sixteen years.
But the bigger crux of the book is her boy crushes and her sexually acting out as a result of this negligence. Kendra's better than that, but the past is repeating herself as she waffles between the nice guy and the bad boy player, as cliche dictates. Of course, as far as generic YA romance goes, it ends there. Kendra pulls away from sex with the bad boy at the last second, cautious of losing her virginity (for disciplinary and moral reasons). He doesn't force himself or respect her wishes or grow resentful -- he's "going to need something". That devolves into booty calls in the closet after school leading to the butt sex so she can remain "chaste".
And after all that, the fudge packer confesses affectionate feelings for her. And they start going out together. Is this a realistic scenario? Yes. Maturity rides up fast in risky situations. Does it send a good message to American youth? No, it does not. I'm not going to say that a writer can't write what he/she wants, but I'm a believer that books "teach you that dragons can be killed". This moral seems to be, if you give up the rough enough, love is just around the corner.
readwithpassion's review
4.0
I don't believe in censorship in young adult books, but I was a little bit shocked by the graphic details of some of the sex scenes. I liked this book a lot, but I know there is absolutely no way I can include it even as a sign out. I would have a difficult time explaining to a parent that I gave his/her child a book with an anal sex scene. The book is quite good, but it went a bit too far for me. I liked it a lot, but I definitely liked Tyrell, Coe Booth's first book, much better.
sarahannkateri's review
4.0
Kendra’s mom, Renee, was only 14 when she was born, and she left Kendra to be raised by her Nana while she went off to college. Now that Renee’s finally finished her PhD, Kendra hopes she will finally start acting like a real mother, but Renee isn’t interested.
Angry at her absent mother and overly strict Nana, Kendra starts heading down a dangerous path with Nashawn, the boy her best friend likes. Will Kendra be able to resist temptation, will she end up like Renee, or will she be able to find her own way?
Angry at her absent mother and overly strict Nana, Kendra starts heading down a dangerous path with Nashawn, the boy her best friend likes. Will Kendra be able to resist temptation, will she end up like Renee, or will she be able to find her own way?
crystal_reading's review
4.0
Kendra is a companion book to Tyrell. I didn't realize that until I got into the story a bit. The teens in these books are all dealing with adult situations. What I like about the books is that the characters are so real. They have hard decisions to make and they don't always take the path that I, as a mother, would choose for them. The choices they make though make sense through their eyes and emotions. Booth lets us in there. Her books are not easy to read lightly. I enjoyed getting to visit this setting again through different eyes.
kricketa's review
4.0
**i read an ARC of kendra**
kendra, 14, lives with her strict nana in the bronxwood housing projects. she's waiting for her mother, renee, to finish her PhD and get a job so that they can finally live together- renee had kendra when she was 14, and kendra's been waiting for a long time.
things get hard when a cute junior named nashawn starts flirting with kendra when the two are alone. adonna (kendra's same-aged aunt and best friend) has a crush on nashawn, but kendra can't help feeling flattered. at the same time, renee graduates and gets a job in the city, as well as a tiny studio apartment with no room in it for kendra. kendra struggles to find her way, wanted by the wrong people and unwanted by the one she really longs for- her mom.
this book broke my heart, but surprised me with an unexpected ending.
kendra, 14, lives with her strict nana in the bronxwood housing projects. she's waiting for her mother, renee, to finish her PhD and get a job so that they can finally live together- renee had kendra when she was 14, and kendra's been waiting for a long time.
things get hard when a cute junior named nashawn starts flirting with kendra when the two are alone. adonna (kendra's same-aged aunt and best friend) has a crush on nashawn, but kendra can't help feeling flattered. at the same time, renee graduates and gets a job in the city, as well as a tiny studio apartment with no room in it for kendra. kendra struggles to find her way, wanted by the wrong people and unwanted by the one she really longs for- her mom.
this book broke my heart, but surprised me with an unexpected ending.
rakishabpl's review
2.0
I stopped reading it in the middle. I found it slow-moving, and the main character unsympathetic. Where are the positive books where teen girls embrace their sexuality and release themselves from the confines of what they've been taught by society?
bananakushh's review
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0