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A review by thepetitepunk
Jumping Off Swings by Jo Knowles
2.0
alright, i'll cut this book some slack. it was published well over a decade ago. teen fiction has drastically changed since then. i love fast paced books but this just dropped major plot points every chapter. there was also an unnecessary number of POVs and really, a strange lack of emotion and reactions. but for 2009, i'll give it some credit!
ANYWAY what stuck out the most to me was this one disturbing line LOL. our girl ellie is feeling bad about herself for hooking up with people without really wanting to (that's ok, emotions are valid, we'll work through it ellie), and then proceeds to describe herself like this: "I was nothing. Just a smell on their [boys'] hands to share with their friends."
I'm--girl, what??? Sorry lollll that line threw me for a loop. I had to pause and ask my ex-football player boyfriend if this was a thing. He has years of exposure to locker room talk. Surely he would know? This is why I, a book nerd, would date the high school football guy: to fact check! But alas, he has not heard of boys sniffing the smell of their sexual conquests off each other's hands. I'm almost disappointed. It sounded so vile and weird that I almost wanted some truth to it. Maybe he just missed out or something. Maybe he refuses to acknowledge. Maybe he participated without knowing...? Who knows! I have many questions.
okok sorry djkadhf no more sarcasm i will stop nitpicking that hilariously fascinating line
if you're looking for a teen pregnancy book, i really enjoyed belly up by eva darrows!
ANYWAY what stuck out the most to me was this one disturbing line LOL. our girl ellie is feeling bad about herself for hooking up with people without really wanting to (that's ok, emotions are valid, we'll work through it ellie), and then proceeds to describe herself like this: "I was nothing. Just a smell on their [boys'] hands to share with their friends."
I'm--girl, what??? Sorry lollll that line threw me for a loop. I had to pause and ask my ex-football player boyfriend if this was a thing. He has years of exposure to locker room talk. Surely he would know? This is why I, a book nerd, would date the high school football guy: to fact check! But alas, he has not heard of boys sniffing the smell of their sexual conquests off each other's hands. I'm almost disappointed. It sounded so vile and weird that I almost wanted some truth to it. Maybe he just missed out or something. Maybe he refuses to acknowledge. Maybe he participated without knowing...? Who knows! I have many questions.
okok sorry djkadhf no more sarcasm i will stop nitpicking that hilariously fascinating line
if you're looking for a teen pregnancy book, i really enjoyed belly up by eva darrows!