Ellen Hopkins

Written in free verse, explores how three teenagers try to cope with the consequences of their mother's addiction to crystal meth and its effects on their lives.

Fallout

Amanda Autumn Berrey

“We felt it was appropriate to wait until Kristina’s current round of chemotherapy has been completed,” said Haskins, whose novels Crank, Glass, and Fallout offer a fictionalized account of Shepherd’s twenty-year battle with methamphetamine addiction.

Resentment is always easier than forgiveness.

Hunter, I used to live “mad.” Didn’t help.

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

Maureen left him because of his own drug habit and the reasons behind it. The pills he pops like Tic Tacs are legal. Prescribed to moderate sleep problems and anger problems and mood problems that swing him from suicidal to crazy happy in the space of a few hours.

Not without therapy, and that means telling someone you know you’re just a tiny bit crazy. How do you admit that without giving up every bit of power you have finally managed to grasp?

See, I’ve got a little thing called OCD. Obsessive-compulsive disorder is something people make fun of. But when it’s something you’ve got, there’s nothing funny about it. First off, you know you have it, know some little piece of your brain is totally out of whack. Nothing you can do about that, either.

if a guy like that really is my father, could I have inherited a rape gene?

I’m more of a dabbler than a dedicated fuckup. A little weed, a little coke. Never tried meth. Don’t think I ought to take a chance on that monster. Catching a buzz is one thing. Yanking the devil’s tail is just plain stupid.

with a little extra fun tucked inside my pocket. Yeah, I know getting high isn’t so smart. Ask me if I care.

Izza

Fallout by Ellen Hopkins is the third and final instalment of the Crank trilogy. I started the series about 5 years ago, and decided it was about time I read the last book. I was a huge fan of the first ones (Crank and Glass) and I really wasn't disappointed with Fallout.

In this last book, the story isn't focused on Kristina, but on her 3 oldest children and how their lives have been affected by their mother's relationship with the monster.

Hopkins has a very unique way of writing her books, and I really like it. You can easily get sucked in and read it all in one sitting. Fallout is really not a hard read, but it’s very emotional. It’s difficult to be indifferent to the characters.

I really recommend this book (the series) if you like YA novels. Or even if you don’t! It’s just one of these books!

Full review here @ The Hungry Bookster

Tysh

This book was really interesting. I liked that Ellen Hopkins decided to voice the oldest children. This book was full of surprises and ultimately answered all the questions I had originally asked during her second book Glass.

Aly Valenz

As I stated before With the other books, Glass is a full on addiction. Some can overcome it and some can’t .. in this final installment , we’re not focused on our straight A, communicative student/perfect daughter Kristina.. well , that’s who she was before she met the monster.. this book focuses on her children. Hunter , a talk show host who we met as a baby in the last book, I suppose that’s why some of us enjoying his side of the story a little more. And then there is  Autumn and  summer. His sisters and their own constant battle with the monster in some way. How their lives were better without her or worse … trying to decide who you are and who you’re supposed to be on top of that trying to maintain a relationship trying to find one on your own or just trying to find a status common ground with your mother. Who clearly has plans of her own. This is kinda a synapsid if anything , I enjoyed each part of this and it touched my heart and pulled it to bits . I really enjoyed this just as much as the first two.

Amanda Kordeliski

Conclusion to Kristina's story from Crank and Glass, but told from the perspective of her three oldest children. Hopkins writes with passion and insight that shows how addiction affects more than just the person addicted. The voice from Autumn and Summer were similar and I kept having to flip back and see which one I was reading. I would have liked the book better if I had an easier time keeping the girls' story straight. A sad tale that unfortunately reflects the lives of too many teens.

If you don’t gat anything out of this review please read Kristina’s letter at the end

This book had me pulled in so many directions. It was such a good idea for the author to write from the kids viewpoints in the final book because readers truly got to see full and full what it looks like to be related to someone with addiction. I have so much appreciation for this series and especially this third book. The fact that the real ‘Kristina’ even wrote a letter to readers at the end really tied it all together. I’m glad that she is now able to be introspective and I’m glad that she allowed her mother to share her story and I wish her family nothing but the best.

Mahasin S Ameen

This isn't my first Hopkins. I read this because I was curious to see how the series would end. It's written in her free verse style and I'm now at the point where I wonder if she is capable of writing any other way.

I've read:

Crank
Glass
Burned
Identical
Tricks

And now Fallout and now I'm just kind of "meh", yeah, you can do free verse, what else can you show me?

Fallout

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