" The Truth About Alice" by Jennifer Mathieu

Everyone knows The Truth about Alice. Everyone knows that she she slept with two boys in one night and is responsible for the death of one of those boys. Everyone knows that she is a complete slut. She the person everyone at Healy High is talking about. But as this book goes along, we see that what everyone "knows" isn't necessarily the truth and that spreading rumors about someone else can keep others from finding out your secrets.

I thought this book was phenomenal. I touched on topics that really happen at high schools everywhere, from sexting to sex, and rumors to uncommon friendships. Each chapter is told from the point of view of a different character. We find out how each is connected to Alice and how her actions (either real or fictional) have had an impact on their lives. Mathieu really gets what it is like to be a teenager and why it's sometimes easier to tell a lie than it is to tell the truth. She also perfectly captures how easy it is for a rumor to spread and how it can grow and grow until the stories become unstoppable.

At times this book is raw and gritty. Though it's not overly graphic, Mathieu doesn't hold back either. While reading this, I couldn't help but feel for Alice and the other characters as well. Some of their experiences were overwhelming, but in the case of this novel, it worked. I see this book appealing to those that enjoy reading Ellen Hopkins' books (though this one isn't in verse), and another books that touch upon real, but sometimes difficult to talk about, subject. I highly recommend this book and truly think just about every teen that reads this book will find something they can connect to.

Happy Reading!
-Melly