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A review by hezann73
Karma for Beginners by Jessica Blank
3.0
14-year-old Tess lives with her mom in....well that's kind of the problem. They move around A LOT. Some people might call Tess's mom, Sarah, a freak, but she'd prefer to be called a free spirit. It's Sarah's quest for happiness and personal fulfillment at lands the two of them at a compound for an off beat spiritual group (read: cult). While Sarah feels she's finally found where she belongs, Tess feels more lost than ever. The only person who makes her feel grounded is 20-year-old Colin. Tess starts to lie to everyone around her in order to spend time with Colin - and that's just the start of her problems.
I wasn't amazed by this book, but I did like it. Tess and Sarah were both compelling characters and at times I didn't know who I felt more sorry for - Tess, who's own mother is so self-absorbed she misses her daughter's birthday, or Sarah, who wants acceptance so badly she's willing to do anything for it. Actually, you could aruge that both characters crave acceptance, love, understanding and are both incredibly self-absorbed (although Tess, at 14/15 is supposed to be).
Tess's budding relationship with Colin is so disturbing. I can understand Tess getting so wrapped up, but the fact that Colin didn't see anything wrong with it REALLY bothers me.
I did have a small problem with the time frame. The best I could figure, the book is set in the mid to late 80's, but aside from the author wanting to be able to reference music, I didn't see any particular reason for it. I'd be reading along, then there'd be an 80's music reference that would totally throw me off.
Overall this was a good book. I'd recommend it for high school readers because of the drug use and sex scenes.
I wasn't amazed by this book, but I did like it. Tess and Sarah were both compelling characters and at times I didn't know who I felt more sorry for - Tess, who's own mother is so self-absorbed she misses her daughter's birthday, or Sarah, who wants acceptance so badly she's willing to do anything for it. Actually, you could aruge that both characters crave acceptance, love, understanding and are both incredibly self-absorbed (although Tess, at 14/15 is supposed to be).
Tess's budding relationship with Colin is so disturbing. I can understand Tess getting so wrapped up, but the fact that Colin didn't see anything wrong with it REALLY bothers me.
I did have a small problem with the time frame. The best I could figure, the book is set in the mid to late 80's, but aside from the author wanting to be able to reference music, I didn't see any particular reason for it. I'd be reading along, then there'd be an 80's music reference that would totally throw me off.
Overall this was a good book. I'd recommend it for high school readers because of the drug use and sex scenes.