By Erica Lorraine Scheidt
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Publication Date: January 15, 2013
Genre: Realistic Young Adult
Source: Netgalley – Itching for Books Blog TourAnna remembers a time before boys, when she was little and everything made sense. When she and her mom were a family, just the two of them against the world. But now her mom is gone most of the time, chasing the next marriage, bringing home the next stepfather. Anna is left on her own—until she discovers that she can make boys her family. From Desmond to Joey, Todd to Sam, Anna learns that if you give boys what they want, you can get what you need. But the price is high—the other kids make fun of her; the girls call her a slut. Anna’s new friend, Toy, seems to have found a way around the loneliness, but Toy has her own secrets that even Anna can’t know.
Then comes Sam. When Anna actually meets a boy who is more than just useful, whose family eats dinner together, laughs, and tells stories, the truth about love becomes clear. And she finally learns how it feels to have something to lose—and something to offer.
Goodreads Summary
“I want to go back to the tell-me-again times when I slept in her bed and we were everything together. When I was everything to her. Everything she needed.”
Anna
“And then he hugs me. Really hugs me. Like he thinks that there’s only one of me and I’m special and I’m enough for him. Like he doesn’t need anything else. Like he was alone and then I came along.”
Anna
About the author:
By day, Erica Scheidt is a marketing consultant and for some years had her own PR agency specializing in video games. She now works part-time for a non-profit organization, while also serving on the board of directors of ISIS, a 10-year-old non-profit focused on sexual literacy. As a teenager, Erica studied writing with William Burroughs, Allen Ginsberg, and Jim Carroll at the Jack Kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics in Boulder, Colorado. In 2007, she was nominated by Rick Moody for the Best New American Voices anthology and in 2008 received an MA in creative writing at University of California, Davis. Erica is a longtime volunteer at 826 Valencia, working with teenage writers who are crafting their own stories, and is passionate about writing by teens and for teens. She lives in San Francisco.
Bio courtesy of Macmillan
Find Erica Lorraine Scheidt:
Website | Blog | Twitter | Tumblr | Goodreads
Erica’s plans for 2013 (besides writing!):
826 Valencia
Teen Center Writers’ Workshop
*Just a little note – I was scheduled to review Uses for Boys and wanted to, would have if I could have. This is a difficult, painful book and I just couldn’t find my way through it. It’s a very realistic portrayal of a girl who begins her pubescent (and some pre) life having learned that she’s not worth loving, that her body is just an object that she’s rather dispassionate about. Her mother ceased being interested in her once she herself started to attract men, so that’s the image of “worth” Anna had and sexual abuse was seen as exciting and proof that she wasn’t alone. Anna’s narration has a flat affect and it’s pitch perfect but it may also be a little off-putting if you aren’t expecting it – it’s one of the reasons I’m so torn about not being able to fully review this but after several tries, I just couldn’t get past a couple of blocks of mine. I suspect this would have been a B for me.
Thanks for participating and no worries
(super hug) You’re always the best.
This book always sounded a little to “real” for me. I’m not sure I could have made it through either, simply because I had a hard enough time getting through the synopsis. I’ll have to read other reviews though and at least see if it has a happy ending!
I would think it would have to have some sort of positive ending, since according to the blurb at least, she started experiencing a real relationship. Even if that didn’t work out, she desperately needed to find some personal growth and I can’t believe the author wouldn’t give it to her. It’s funny that I could read Tabitha Suzuma’s Forbidden, which was horribly painful, but this was like a big wall I couldn’t get through.
I definitely think people who don’t have issues that might bump up against Anna’s would be okay reading this – I wanted to offer just a few thoughts about why I thought it was powerful though, since I think some reviewers are putting it through the ringer for Scheidt’s writing style and the subject matter being too lurid with no purpose. I don’t know. You know?
It’s great that you’re upfront about your reasons for not being able to read the book while still letting others who might enjoy it know more.
I can go either way with books like this. I guess it depends what frame of mind I’m in when I start. Uses for Boys sounds like something I would like because it seems she finds another way to live. (at least going by the summary)
Thanks so much, Karen. I hate DNF’ing at all, but when it’s for certain reasons, I want to at least try to explain. I definitely agree that this could go either way – I’ve read a few really provocative books that ended up being favorites that other people either wouldn’t touch or thought were the worst things ever. And yep, there have been some that when I’m in a certain mood, I know not to go near.
Thanks for sharing! I read the synopsis and never thought that this was the direction the author was taking.
I wasn’t prepared either, Lisa – I thought it was probably about teenage promiscuity, which I would have probably been okay with. This was pretty heavy. I think people still would want to read it, but maybe forewarned… you know. lol
My review will post Thurs and I think some will totally love it and others will loathe it. It is dark, gritty and brutally real. I really think it should be new adult, I would not want a 14-17 year old to read this without having someone to talk to.
I’m really looking forward to reading what you thought! I’ve only talked to two other people about what their feelings where – one thought it was sad and well-written and the other DNF’d it and said she didn’t like anyone in it. I completely agree with you about age limits on it – it made me think of those warning stickers they used to put on CDs (do they still do that?). I hurt to think of a 12 year old reading this on her own.
I felt the same way. I really had to push myself to read and that is rare for me. I really wouldn’t my daughter reading this she way older.
Jenea @ Books Live Forever
It was such a hard one. I wouldn’t say I felt any better about my own reading experience, but I felt better overall about the book when I learned Scheidt is on the board of a non-profit organization promoting sexual literacy and works extensively with teens. She’s obviously someone who cares deeply about their issues and I didn’t leave with the impression she meant to handle this without deep care.
Aw, I really liked this. But the review was hard as hell to write. My review will be up next week.
I’m glad you liked it! I didn’t get far, obviously, but I can only imagine how hard it was to write something up about it. I can’t wait to read your review, I know you came up with something good. You always know what to say.
I just read a review of this on another blog and I guess the ending isn’t exactly HEA, but I guess that is the way real life goes sometimes. It does sound like an incredibly difficult and heartbreaking book and I can’t do that right now. I need light and fluffy in light of everything plus it is so freaking grey outside my window today…. sigh…
I suppose for the MC’s age and what she’s gone through, an HEA would be a little too much to ask for anyway, since this is pretty realistic fiction. I agree with you, Heidi – you need light, fluffy and fun. Have you tried The Chocolate Kiss by Laura Florand? I have it ready to go very soon – it’s supposed to be very cute, sort of chick lit almost, but light and romantic. Karen at For What It’s Worth wrote the first review that made me buy it and then Mandi at Smexy wrote a great one.
I have avoided this one for some reason, the synopsis & subject matter didn’t really appeal and after reading your notes I’m pretty certain it wouldn’t be a book for me.
Thankyou for sharing Barbara
Hi Sharon! Hope you’re enjoying that vacation.
I don’t think this would be your cup of tea based on what I normally see you like. It’s really gritty and realistic and even as far as I only got, disturbing.
This book was a difficult one for me too. Very dark and gritty and not at all what I was expecting. I felt so sorry for Anna reading this book, and couldn’t believe what she went through all because her mother never supported her and cared for her. I would hate for any girl to do the things that Anna did just because she wasn’t getting any love from her own mother. Truly shocking and I can understand why you couldn’t get through it, I wouldn’t want anyone to have to make the kind of decisions that Anna made x
Anna’s mother was so horrible, wasn’t she? It broke my heart, especially because I have such a wonderful mother, no matter how much we’ve gone around and around about things, I know she loves me and would never just abandon me like that. The little things like Anna having to make her own dinner because the house was empty when she was just 8 tore me up. I think I’m finally at peace about not reading it.
I couldn’t get through this book either. It could have been a really good book, but the writing fell flat for me. There was something about the narration that was off-putting, so I totally understand you, Barb! And that cover is too misleading! >.<
Anna came off as both very cold and very child-like. It was a really off-putting narration, pretty creepy. Kind of like Damian. lol I guess I came from a place where I “got” it, if that makes sense? It made the narration not seem so unlikely to me – one of the side effects of being as old as Methuselah.