Upon turning the last page, i was surprised and refreshed and longing for more. Jennifer harrisjenna vaughn is a completely believable, compelling, and sympathetic character. Their mom falls in and out of sobriety and cannot hold a job for very long. What a great message, especially in a ya novel, and zarrs characters backed it up perfectly. From the national book award nominated author of story of a girl, sweethearts is a story about the power of memory, the bond of friendship, and the quiet resilience of our childhood hearts. This haunting and ultimately hopeful novel asserts what many teens feel acutely. Now that were working with a second novel, we can talk about whats so wonderful about zarrs writing. How to save a life by sara zarr features to main characters, mandy madison and jill macsweeny. Jennifer was overweight, with a loving mother hardly ever home. She is the author of how to save a life, once was lost, sweethearts, and the national book award finalist story of a girl. From national book award finalist sara zarr, sweethearts is a story about the power of memory, the bond of friendship, and the quiet resilience of our childhood hearts. Hays backed me against the wall in the girls room and told me they decided that certain people could be harry potter characters and if anyone else, for instance me, showed up in a harry potter costume they would make them walk naked across the school yard at recess. But while sweethearts is not the fluffy romance i was expecting, it did not disappoint me in the slightest.
Sweethearts by sara zarr meet your next favorite book. This is the second sara zarr book ive read listened to on audio, and i really, really like her writing. The audiobook of sweethearts is read by sara zarr, the author. Sara zarr is the acclaimed author of four novels for young adults. Her short fiction and essays have also appeared in image, hunger mountain, and several anthologies. Sara zarrs latest book how to save a life does not disappoint. Trailer produced for little brown for young adult writer sara zarr by ken schreiner of schreiner productions and probusiness video of salt lake city. I cant help but think the audiobook would have benefited from a proreader at the helm, like jenna lamia. When i saw sweethearts at the library, i knew it was a book i simply needed to read. Her short fiction and essays have also appeared in.
I love the story so much and i love how the characters grow and develop throughout. Story of a girl national book award finalist, sweethearts cybil award finalist, once was lost a kirkus best book of 2009 and how to save a life. Sweethearts ebook by sara zarr 9780316029261 rakuten kobo. Jennifer harris used to be that girl in school the one that always got made fun of and who was a complete social outcast. The title of this book is sweethearts and it was written by sara zarr. Sweethearts by sara zarr hardcover, little brown rating. Speaks to the deep friendships that grow among young people who have suffered trauma. Its a compulsive read filled with tension and truth. And i picked up sweethearts needing a light, happy romance. Though i greatly enjoyed sara zarr s debut novel, story of a girl, i was even more impressed by her sophomore sweethearts. She is the author of how to save a life, what we lost, sweethearts, and the national book award finalist story of a girl. Publishers weekly dec 24, 2007 this book about a former misfit who must face her troubled childhood is dark and engrossing, thanks to zarrs story of a girl fullbodied.
Themes of love and friendship are handled by the author, sara zarr, in an especially unique and realistic manner in sweethearts, which was published in 2008. The cover is gorgeous and sweet, the blurb intriguing. I thought zarr had a weird accent at least to my ears. Sara zarr has some serious skills in the areas of dialogue and imagery. S jennifer harris and cameron quick were childhood outcasts together. Zarr transfixes teen readers with enticing explorations of identity and enduring love. And its convincing, too, thanks to a realistically imperfect cast of secondary characters, especially jennas mother. A woman in nebraska, robin macsweeny, who had lost her husband not even a year ago, has taken up mandys offer. Her first novel, story of a girl, was a 2007 national book award finalist. When her childhood soul mate cameron quick miraculously reappears, jennas carefully cultivated persona begins to unravel. Tara altebrando writes books for adults and teens, including the best night of your pathetic life, dreamland social club.
Though i greatly enjoyed sara zarrs debut novel, story of a girl, i was even more impressed by her sophomore sweethearts. Sara zarr is the author of the lucy variations, how to save a life, what we lost, sweethearts, and national book award finalist story of a girl. Tension builds as readers wonder how long jenna can keep up appearances, what made cameron vanish so many years ago and whether the two will. This book about a former misfit who must face her troubled childhood is dark and engrossing, thanks to zarrs story of a girl fullbodied characters and c.
Instead of going on and on about those, i just want to mention that i did read this book in one sitting. Sweethearts features fully rounded characters, an absorbing plot. How to save a life, story of a girl, once was lost. Sweethearts is a short but sweet read about a relationship, an emotion that is not quite love, not quite just friendship. Sweethearts is my first sara zarr book, so i wasnt sure what to expect. Sweethearts is a story about the power of memory, the bond of friendship, and the quiet resilience of our childhood hearts. However, these characters and this story just didnt quite do it for me. This book about a former misfit who must face her troubled childhood is dark and engrossing, thanks to zarr s fullbodied characters and creative storytelling. Mandy is a pregnant19 year old girl from omaha, nebraska who puts her baby girl up for adoption. This touching ya novel shows the depth of caring and love through a family experiencing a great loss. Cameron was the object of ridicule and lived with an abusive father. Like story of a girl, zarrs new release is loaded with realistic characters, hope, and heart. This book about a former misfit who must face her troubled childhood is dark and engrossing, thanks to zarr s story of a girl fullbodied characters and c.
She was raised in san francisco, and now lives in salt lake city, utah with her husband. Lost, grieving, and alone, jennifer does the only thing she knows how to do to survive. Intermittent flashbacks cast a murky, nightmarish hue and culminate to reveal a horrific moment that united jenna and cameron forever. In the end, this is a book for mature readers only, but those who are ready will be moved by this story of jenna and camerons intense attachment. The author is talented and her writing does keep you engaged.
Sara zarr also wrote the fabulous story of a girl, which was a finalist for the national book award. Jennifer harris, a lisping, chubby nineyearold being raised by a distracted single mother, is an outcast at. Robin, after losing her husband suddenly has decided a new baby is just what the family needs. In these books, the main characters are rarely the most popular or beautiful or. Sara zarr was raised in san francisco, california, and now lives with her husband in salt lake city, utah. Andersen leave a comment teaching in trimesters isnt really my favorite for a variety of reasons, but i love that it allows me to teach so many sections of my y. Sara zarr born october 3, 1970 is an american writer. Review of sweethearts by sara zarr rhapsody in books weblog. Sara zarr has written another fantastic novel one that celebrates the power of childhood friendships, loyalty, and inner strength. After losing her soul mate, cameron, when they were nine, jennifer, now seventeen, transforms herself from the unpopular fat girl into the beautiful and popular jenna, but camerons unexpected return dredges up memories that cause both social and emotional turmoil. She is the author of how to save a life, what we lost, sweethearts, and the national book award finalist. She is also the coauthor of roomies, with tara altebrando. Its a freaking cookie and the title is sweethearts and, you know. Readers will want to know what happened to the main characters as children, something which is revealed in flashes and slivers throughout the book, and they will care.
Then one day cameron disappears and jennifers mom tells her that he died. While i liked the story, i did not like the author as a narrator. Not sad in the sense of big tragic event that happens, but in the sense of the overall way things went. Now zarr is back with her second book, sweethearts out february 1, and it is even better than her first. After her mother remarries, jennifer recreates herself. And all i can say is oh my god guys, dont go into this book expecting a light and happy romance.
Also, shes coming to tla the texas library association annual conference that ill be attending in the spring and im really looking forward to meeting her, hopefully. It was published by little, brown books for young readers and has a total of 217 pages in the book. Neither by jenna herself nor by the other characters. As children, jennifer harris and cameron quick were both social outcasts. So when cameron disappears without warning, jennifer thinks shes lost the only person who will ever understand her. Its always difficult to write about anything that straddles the border between two distinctive places, but sara zarr does an admirable job of pitching the unspoken past against the possibly false present. I just wasnt sympathetic to the character at all, and i felt like the author was.
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