Smashed
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4.5 • 4 Ratings
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- $8.99
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- $8.99
Publisher Description
A field hockey star grapples with addiction in this riveting read perfect for fans of Laurie Halse Anderson’s Speak.
Katie Martin wants to leave her small-town loneliness behind forever. She is a field hockey star on the fast track to a college scholarship, but her relationship with alcohol has always been a little questionable. Then trouble finds her. Alec is the most popular guy in school, and also the biggest bully—with his sights set firmly on Katie. When Alec turns on the charm, Katie thinks she must have been wrong about him.
Except that she wasn’t. On a rain-soaked, alcohol-drenched night, one impulsive decision leaves Katie indebted to Alec in the worst possible way. This fast-paced and compelling story is a “thoughtful and complex portrait of addiction, accountability, and the debilitating impact of low self-esteem” (Publishers Weekly).
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Luedeke's powerful debut centers on a talented but troubled senior who makes a mistake with far-reaching consequences. Katie Martin is planning her escape from her small Maine hometown, where she is tormented by memories of the father who deserted her and left Katie to care for her younger brother while her mother is away. Katie's best bet is a field hockey scholarship, but overwhelmed by feelings of emptiness, she drinks: "By the third beer, the hollow space in my gut, that space that I dreaded more than anything, had disappeared." One night Katie gets drunk at a party with Alec, who has been pursuing her; to escape his advances, Katie gets behind the wheel, accidentally crashing his car and injuring them both. To save Katie's reputation and future Alec claims that he was driving, and she becomes indebted to him. Gripping and relatable, Luedeke's story portrays Katie's conflicted psychological state as she attempts to reconcile her guilt with her slow awareness that she deserves to feel safe. A thoughtful and complex portrait of addiction, accountability, and the debilitating impact of low self-esteem. Ages 14 up.
Customer Reviews
Amazing!!
Really great book! Leaves you on the edge of your seat!!