Tease

Tease by Amanda Maciel

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

About the Book

Title: Tease 

Author: Amanda Meciel

Publishing Date: May 1st 2014

Publisher: Hodder Children's Books

ISBN: 9781444918717

Provided by: Hachette Children's Books & Netgalley

Summary (via GoodReads)

Emma Putnam is dead, and it's all Sara Wharton's fault.
At least, that's what everyone seems to think when Sara, along with her best friend and three other classmates, have been criminally charged for bullying and harassment that led to Emma's shocking suicide. But Sara is sure she hasn't done anything wrong, because Emma brought it on herself. Sara is adamant that she was the victim - not Emma.
Inspired by a true story, TEASE is a thought-provoking must-read that will haunt you long after the last page.

Review

"Sometimes it's really hard to admit that you've been bad to someone. That you've said bad things. Been a bully."

I didn't think I was going to like this book, BUT BOY WAS I WRONG! It's an interesting story that -even though a little slow to get started - keeps you turning the page. You want to know more. You want to see the bigger picture. There's a part of you that wants to know why?

Sara and Brielle are best friends. Brielle is the confidant one, the one that's in charge and Sara is just happy not to be ignored. Happy to be somewhat popular, by her outlandish best friends side. But when Emma starts interfering with the boys at their school all hell breaks loose. The biggest question I had throughout the book was, will Sara be able to see past Brielle and create an opinion of her own? Will she finally see what she did wrong?

It took a while for me to feel anything close to empathy towards Sara - I mean, she's a bully. What she did was bullying and there's no justifying that. However much she might try. But as the story develops - I don't want to give anything away - you start too see the ins and outs of the whole situation. What starts as black and white becomes this murky shade of grey, where it's hard to tell exactly who's in the wrong.

The story is well written and compelling, although I would recommend it to a teenage audience rather than older YA readers as the way the girls talk can get a little grating and immature at times. I also found the way in which it switched between the past and present a little confusing, having to take a minute to figure out what month I was in. All though, in general these are just minor things that shouldn't put you off picking this book up when it comes out in May!

I always like to add in a character that I think you should watch out for and with this it has to be Sara's little brothers, Tommy and Alex. They show a kinder side of Sara that makes it easier to like her. They're also completely different from everyone else in the story.

That's not even mentioning the one, and only, Carmichael! SWOON ALERT He's weird and awkward and kind and everything you want for Sara. There's a huge emphasis on peer pressure and the concept that the friends you keep say a lot about who you are in this book, so he's the perfect escape for her. Well, in all honesty? He's just perfect.

After reading Tease I wanted to know more about Emma. I think that a book from her point of view would be really interesting as there are still quite a few questions unanswered. At the end of the book I'd lost track of who was right and what was wrong and knowing Emma's side might help readers come to some kind of conclusion. Even a short story would do it!

Overall though it's a good, solid book that will have you thinking long and hard about the way you treat people and the consequences of the things you say. It costs nothing to be nice after all.

** EXCERPT**

" 'Did you ever have a physical confrontation with Miss Putnam?' 

'Did what?' 

'Did you ever have a-' 

'Oh. Yeah. Um, yeah I guess there was the one time in the locker room.'  

The layer writes this down, even thought the tape recorder is on, has been on the whole time. Also, she already knows the answer to the question. Also, the law firm's intern is taking notes, too. I shouldn't notice how hot he is, but he's the only good thing to look at in here. He's also the only other person anywhere near my age - the lawyers are fortyish and the stenographer lady looks like she's 105 - plus he's new, probably since it's summer now and law school is out for break or whatever. Much be nice. Since the whole--- thing happened, I missed a bunch of junior year, so now I'm in summer school.  

And here.  

'This was the incident of January the twenty-third?' This lawyer is all cold and matter-of-fat and wasting everyone's time. She's the head of the firm or something, I don't know. Usually I just meet with Natalie. Who isn't much better, but at least she looks me in the face when we talk. Except today she's also taking notes, and somehow barely paying attention at the same time. Maybe they're all just writing their grocery lists or something.
Natalie suddenly looks up at me, raising her eyebrows. Like, Answer the question. 

''Yeah. I guess so. Was that a Tuesday? You know, because we have gym on Tuesdays and Thursdays, so I think it was Tuesday.' 

The no-eye-contact lawyer nods and then, of course, writes that down. Or she writes down, toilet paper, orange juice, I don't know. Jesus this is boring. "

These are a few notes I made while reading Tease. All notes where made on my GoodReads page.

**I received this book as an ARC from Netgalley to read & review. This is a 100% honest review.**