Review: Bad Apple by Laura Ruby

Filed in Laura Ruby , Review , The Random Lover Posted on March 3, 2010 @ 8:31 am 0 comments
Format Read: Hardcover Book
Number of Pages: 247
Publisher: Harper Teen
Formats Available: Hardcover and Kindle Editions
Purchasing Info: Amazon, Author Website, GoodReads  
*Some spoliers may be present in this review.*

Book Blurb:
Junior Tola Riley doesn’t care what people say about her. She knows her ever-changing hair color and goth clothes make her an easy target. Whatever. But the latest rumor is different…. The entire school believes she had an affair with her art teacher. The rumors may be a lie, but the fallout is all too real. Will Tola finally stand up for the truth?

With a heroine you’ll root for and a truly relevant story, Laura Ruby has once again brought the authentic teen experience to life for readers who relish dark humor and razor-sharp wit. 

My Thoughts:

This is the story of a High School Junior named Tola Riley who is accused of being in a relationship with her art teacher Mr. Mymer. Once they are accused Mr. Mymer is suspended, because it is obviously against the law for a teacher and a student to be involved. 

Tola realizes that she has to prove that both sides are innocent to save her teacher’s career and her own reputation.

The whole scandal starts because Tola and her art teacher meet unexpectedly at the museum cafeteria and decided to talk and share lunch. Tola is an artist who loves to paint and draw. She loves to read, quote and draw characters from the stories of the Brothers Grimm fairy tales. They mostly spoke about an art exhibition that Tola went to see as an assignment for Mr. Mymer. It really was just an accidental meeting.

 

When the school doesn’t believe you, your classmates don’t believe you, your family doesn’t believe you, and your parents think you did everything you are accused of doing life starts to suck! Tola is in this position from the beginning of the book onwards. As the story progresses Tola reveals more of her fears about this scandal and more details as to who started it and why.


The person who starts the horrible rumor is a bully. The bully isn’t someone you would suspect in the beginning, but is revealed to the reader pretty early in the story. The bully is someone who used to be Tola’s friend which is why this person is not someone you suspect at first. This bully basically uses rumors, blogs, and videos to cause everybody Tola knows to believe she is having an affair with her art teacher, even her own family. By, the time Tola figures out who caused her so much trouble her grandfather is hospitalized.  
Tola and her family find out a lot about each other when Tola’s grandpa gets sick and has to go to the hospital. Tola and her sister open up to each other. Tola’s mom, sister, step-dad, and grandparents start to believe what Tola has to say about the rumors. They listen to and identify with each other a lot more. 
This book is written from Tola’s point of view but at the end of every chapter there are quotes of what other people think about her and her situation. I really like the fact that the book shows mainly Tola’s perspective but also includes what others think about the situation between chapters. Showing the other people’s perspectives lets the reader fully understand exactly what Tola is experiencing. It also brings the other characters more to life. It helps the reader identify with each character and how they feel, while adding more depth to what Tola is feeling. 
My favorite part of the book is the revenge at the end. It is so ingeniously written and so perfect to the story.

As you can see I really like this book and I didn’t want to put it down for a second. I took the book everywhere I went until I finished it *grins* when my mom was here during her visit she almost killed me for taking it with me wherever we went. 😛 

I give this book 4 Bookies!








I purchased this book myself. 
***FTC Disclaimer: Most books reviewed on this site have been provided free of charge by the publisher, author or publicist. Some books we have purchased with our own money and will be noted as such. Any links to places to purchase books are provided as a convenience, and do not serve as an endorsement by this blog. All reviews are the true and honest opinion of the blogger reviewing the book. The method of acquiring the book does not have a bearing on the content of the review.
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