Tilt

When I review a book I usually jump right in, but with this book I wanted to sit and think about how it made me feel and why I enjoyed it so much. If you haven't noticed, which I doubt you haven't, I'm a huge fan of Ellen Hopkins. I appreciate the fact that she writes about real life problems, that her stories don't always end with happy endings, and that when they do it's not some outrageously impossible happy ever after. I appreciate the rawness of her writing and how I've been able to connect with at least one character in every single one of her books not including the one adult book of hers that I did read, Triangles, although I definitely could relate to certain parts of Triangles story. So I hope that the sitting and thinking helps me get my point across about why I enjoyed this book so much and why I recommend it to anyone and everyone. I'd also like to point out that I loved how Ellen incorporated little pages/poems for the supporting characters so readers got a sense of why they did what they did and how they felt, props to you Ellen!Tilt is one of those books that has you smiling and laughing one second and then crying the next. I think I related to Harley the most because she's like every other teenage girl. She just wants to be accepted, loved, and enough for people. Sadly she takes to acting out in a negative way to get that attention, she doesn't realize that some people never truly see the beauty in others and accept them for who they are. I don't want to give anything away but what happens to her is tragic and I felt my heart break a little bit while we watched her in this downward spiral. After realizing what was going on with her I can't believe that her mom, Andrea, didn't realize how her daughter was self destructing in Triangles. It really saddens me how blind she was because she was so wrapped up in other things. I admire Harley though, by the end of the book she's only 14 yet she comes out of it with a sort of positive attitude and decides she wants to try and move on.I was really interested in finding out more about Shane and who he was after being introduced to him in Triangles. He comes off as this sort of douche at first but in Tilt we find out what a sweet person he really is. Even though his father tells him time and time again how he's committing sin and how he's going to hell he still has faith that God accepts him for him and that He will be waiting for him on the other side which really made me respect and admire him. Alex and Shane's relationship is sort of like a beautiful disaster. At first it was just beautiful but then something really tragic happens to Shane and his family and even though Shane won't admit it he goes into a downward spiral and becomes depressed. While dealing with this tragic loss he losses himself and pushes his bestfriend and boyfriend away. I loved how Shane's story ended in this book. Through a huge loss his family becomes closer and starts too work out their problems. His story was definitely bittersweet but I loved it.Mikayla and Dylan believe they have this love that is unbreakable and at first it seems that way. This story frustrated me because it seemed like Mikayla was always grounded but I guess that's normal for a teenage girl with a boyfriend, huh? After Mikayla discovers she's pregnant Dylan decides to be, excuse my language, this huge pussy and run off and yet he still claimed that he 'loved her more than ever'. PLEASE can someone explain this to me? How exactly is it you love her more than ever yet you leave her and end up giving her an ultimatum of you or 'it'. Yes that's right people, he called their baby an it. Her story feels unfinished to me, we don't find out what happens to her or the baby. Also, just to throw this in there I think Tyler is crazy to do what he does but I find it incredibly sweet and he's definitely a lot less of a pussy compared to Dylan. If you're wondering who Tyler is, read the book and you shall see!! After saying that you might be wondering why I gave the book five stars, it's because all of the things that happened within Mikayla's story happen to girls who get pregnant in real life. It just frustrated me so I had to rant and I also think parts of her story remind me of when my sister got pregnant at 19, the dad decided not to stick around either and I have a lot of anger towards him so I relate.I really enjoyed this book and even though I wanted to try and pace my reading I just couldn't.

I am a huge Ellen Hopkins fan. I devour her books the way to do a bag of cookies...I can't stop unit the bag is empty (or the book is finished.) She is that compulsive a read. Having read all her other books, I am accustomed to her multi-story line format involving three of four main characters whose stories intersect. TILT is no different. This time around we have nearly 18-year-old Mikayla who is sure her love for her boyfriend is so strong that nothing can break it. Thirteen-year-old Harley is caught in the most awkward of situations, halfway between childhood and teenhood, with her off-and-on dad marrying a woman that appears to understand Harley better than her own mother. Then there is Shane, experiencing his first love with HIV positive Alex. All these characters are compelling and you care about what happens to them.What prevented me from awarding this book my usual 5 stars is the plethora of secondary characters who have their own stories. All of these characters are interconnected in some way...blood relatives, friends, friends of friends. Not only that, but each of the parents of the three main characters have their own dramas. Breaking with her usual form of telling the story through the first person characters of her main characters, this time Hopkins let's everyone have their say. Helpfully, the book designer reminds us that these are "outside observers" by placing their chapters on greyed paper. After awhile with all the cousins, and aunts and uncle, boyfriends and girlfriends, and a posse of friends for each of the characters, I began to wish the book had included a dramatis personae to keep them all straight.Additionally, Hopkins covers a ton of hot button topics...teen HIV, pregnancy, euthanasia, abortion, casual sex, drug use and drinking,adoption and a search for a birth parent, plus both teen and adult infidelity. Whew! I love Hopkins' writing, but perhaps there was just a little too much crammed into this one. I blew through this in four hours (starting the second it downloaded to my Kindle), so now I am going to re-read it, more slowly, to see if I can keep all the characters straight. However, if you are a Hopkins fan, you will not be disappointed.Also a word of warning if you are reading this in the Kindle version. A lot of the meaning of Hopkins work comes from the way the verse is arranged on the page. Not only is this feature mostly missing in the Kindle version, tI can tell there are a whole words and phrases left out. This is really reading between the lines.

Ellen Hopkins never ceases to amaze. She takes the subjects NO ONE wants to talk about and proclaims them out with fireworks and streamers. This book is no different. It makes you think about life, asking the most provoking questions and leaving the reader to answer them. Anyone who reads her books can find at least one character they can relate to, and I think that's hat makes her books so beautiful. Not the poetry it was written in, but the way anyone can pick up any of her books and feel so connected with them. She immerses you into her well built characters, leaving you no choice but to love each one of their flaws finding even the smallest of perfections. I think the character that really grew in this book is a tie between Shane and Harley for the way Harley finds herself, and the way Shane comes to par with the fact that, this is the way I am and this is the way it'll be, and who is there to say ,"no, it's not". And that's what I want to see in a book, is the characters accepting everything they are about, especially if that's exactly what society wants to keep covered up. And Ellen Hopkins has no problem what so ever bringing those into the light.

Amazing read. This is my 3rd Ellen Hopkins book and I must say I really love her writing style. I Loved all of the characters but I wish the ending of the store was better

good book well designed was requested not read it my selfwould happy to buy from this author again &&&&&&&

Perfect book, along with the rest of Ellen Hopkins' work. If you like any of her other books, I can guarantee you'll like this one!

Any Ellen Hopkins book is amazing. They're truthful, creatively written and both sad but incredibly hopeful. She's an amazing author.

This novel, as all of Ellen Hopkins' novels are, was fabulous. The style of writing (in poetry stanzas) is unique. It is easy to read, and very enjoyable. She touches on many issues in our daily life. It was great as a companion novel to "Triangles" but also a great stand-alone book.