Kerry Cohen Hoffmann

Feeling neglected by her divorced parents and distant older sister, fourteen-year-old Jessica discovers how easily she is able to attract the attention of men and boys, without realizing the risks of her behavior.

Easy

Jessica 

Blog | Twitter | Instagram | This is a rewrite of a review I had posted via my old book blog in 2007/2008.

Kerry Cohen Hoffman brushes a very touchy topic in 'Easy': sex, teenagers and the emotional impact it sometimes has on one. It captures an honest and broken atmosphere and you very much so feel all that our story tells.

Easy follows Jessica, a fourteen year old girl who feels her world is falling apart after her parents have divorced. Her mother, who falls apart after the divorce, hardly pays her attention. She feels alone, neglected by the woman who gave birth to her -- and it isn't any easier receiving any love from her father, either, who is all too eager to begin his new life.

She is bitter, for obvious reasons, that her father has left her with the responsibility to basically care for her mother who just can't keep it together. But what about Jessica? Who's going to care for her? Photography was once her passion, but she can't even seem to enjoy it like she once had -- not with everything that has changed. Not with everything weighing her down.

And at that age we all know it's not at all good on a young mind. Even her older sister and best friend lack in making her feel better about things. 

Everything has changed now, including her appearance -- puberty has come about, of course, and now she's receiving a lot of attention from the opposite sex. Finally she feels noticed -- that attention she's craved and lacked. Jessica feels, at last, when she meets an older boy, she has the attention and power she needs to live. Through this, she feels the hole in her heart may fill and she'll feel normal again.

But things don't go the way she'd hoped or planned -- and such is life. I loved this book in high school, and during a brief reread I find that I don't enjoy certain parts of it as much as I did. However, the message behind it -- ultimately, self discovery, how to deal and downfalls in life is something important. I do recommend giving it a chance and reading just how things end up.

It's the perfect novel for teenagers who've devoured the likes of "Go Ask Alice", "Crank", "Uses For Boys" and other novels that touch base with tough topics. This is certainly a book they'll love and remember.

Easy

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