Thousand Words
Author: Jennifer Brown
Series: None
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Release Date: May 21, 2013
Publisher: Little Brown Books for Young Readers
Summary:
Why would they be so excited about me taking a picture of myself for my boyfriend?
Then it hit me. Not just any picture.
Ashleigh’s boyfriend, Kaleb, is about to leave for college. So at a legendary end-of-summer pool party, Ashleigh’s friends suggest she text him a picture of herself – sans swimsuit – to take with him. Before she can change her mind, Ashleigh snapped a photo and hit “send.”
But when Kaleb and Ashleigh go through a bad breakup, Kaleb forwards the text to his baseball team. Soon the photo has gone viral, attracting the attention of the school board, the local police, and the media. In the midst of the scandal, Ashleigh feels completely alone – until she meets Mack at community service. Not only does Mack offer a fresh chance at friendship, but he’s the one person in town who received the text of Ashleigh’s photo and didn’t look.
Acclaimed author Jennifer Brown delivers a gripping novel about honestly, betrayal, redemption, and friendship, as Ashleigh finds that while a picture may be worth a thousand words…it doesn’t tell the whole story.
First Sentence: The community service I’d been court ordered to complete was held in one of the downstairs classrooms at the Chesterton Public Schools Central Office.
My Review:
I’ve been eyeing Thousand Words for the longest time. I’ve heard nothing but amazing things on all of Jennifer Brown’s books and Thousand Words was the first book I’ve ever saw that focused on sexting. I keep telling myself that I would read Thousand Words one day last year, but then time passed and that never happened. I don’t know what urged me to pick up Thousand Words today, but I definitely do not regret picking it up. I really enjoyed reading Thousand Words and I’ll definitely be pushing that book to everybody I know, starting today.
I have to give some major kudos to Jennifer Brown for how she wrote Thousand Words. Usually, issue books like these are written in chronological order, from events that are currently happening right now to events that will eventually happen next. Jennifer Brown, however, wrote Thousand Words in a another different way. The chapters in Thousand Words alternate between flashbacks and present day events, community service which is the present day events and the months of August and September being the flashbacks. If Jennifer Brown never wrote Thousand Words with alternating chapters, I can pretty much guarantee you that I would be so bored reading the book because the events happening in chronological order won’t catch and keep my attention. Yes, Thousand Words might have started off slow, but it’ll quickly pick up once the flashbacks really get into the depth of it all.
“That’s ridiculous, Ashleigh. Those people don’t get to say who you are. You can’t let them have that kind of power. You made a mistake. You’re human.” (231)
Like The Truth About Alice by Jennifer Mathieu, Thousand Words is just so real and realistic. Thousand Words paints things so accurately: high school relationships, friendships, how people in high school act, and why people do the things they do. I can actually sit down and picture the events in Thousand Words happening in my high school – it was like watching a train wreck happen right in front of my eyes. In fact, I rather read Thousand Words than play Pokemon and you guys know how much I love Pokemon.
Most of all, what I love about Thousand Words was that it really opened up my eyes. I used to think the subject of sexting was simple and easy – a picture of someone not wearing any clothes got out, bullying and harassment will ensure, the end. But no, Thousand Words taught me that no, nothing is ever that simple when it comes to sexting. Not only does the person get bullied; there may be legal consequences added into the mix as well. Guess how many times I lectured my sister and my friends not to ever sex text anyone while reading Thousand Words (I’m not implying that they would sex text; it’s just I had to say that since Thousand Words just had that strong of an impact on me). As an added bonus, Thousand Words also taught me other things that’s not related to sexting. For example, did you guys know that pamphlets for drugs or gangs or bullying are not written by psychologists, but by the offenders themselves?
I wanted out. I wanted to leave…I wanted to be done with the whole mess. To have things go back to normal. To go back to a place where I could walk down a hall without people whispering about me. (107)
Overall, I loved this book. I have absolutely no negative things to say about it with the small exception of the slow beginning. You guys will definitely be seeing me push this book onto other people this month. Trust me guys, you really want to read Thousand Words, especially if you’re into reading issue books like I am. I won’t steer you guys wrong.
Great review! This sounds like a book I definitely want to read!
Librarian Lavender recently posted…To the Efteling with Naomi and Louise
I’m not into books like this one but after reading your review I think I’ll give it a chance! :D
Odinia recently posted…Por primera vez en años (Frozen) Live Action
This book reminds me a lot of Good Girls by Laura Ruby, except it appears that Thousand Words has a large focus on sexting while Good Girls is mainly just about the strength the main character discovers and the changes she goes through after a picture of her goes viral. I read that one at least five or six years ago and it’s still a pretty memorable book (plus, I did reread it a bunch).
Anyway, I think I would love this book! Issue books are my favorite kind, and I have a thing for flashbacks. There’s no doubt that I will read this book. :)
Kaitlin @ Reading is My Treasure recently posted…Class of 2014 Day 5 ~ Sara Raasch
I read Brown’s Torn Away, and her writing is really strong in that one too. I’ve been trying to decide which book of hers to read next, and I think we have a winner! I’ll probably lecture my sister too – I do that with any “issue” book I read :P (Benefits of being the older one, though!)
Kayla @ The Thousand Lives recently posted…Weekly Recap 30 (June 8)
This seems like an amazing book! I’ll have to pick up a copy as soon as possible. Also, I love the little watermelons you use for your ratings; they’re just too cute.
Finally, a book about sexting. It seems like there’s a YA book for everything else, but I have never come across one that just focuses on sexting. Great review!
Meredith recently posted…The Girl with All the Gifts Review
Wonderful review! Sexting is a great and sensitive issue to discuss, and I think there should be more YA books like Thousand Words! I’m a bit skeptical to read it, though. I’m not a big fan of flashbacks, but I’m glad you enjoyed it!
Wajiha recently posted…Review ✿ Scent of a Woman
Personally, I am not a big fan of flashbacks in a book, unless they’re ‘announced’ properly (like the ‘then/now’ in Pandemonium for example). But, your review has made me curious for this book, so I am definitely going to add it to my to-read/to-buy list! ^^
Nessa @ October Tune recently posted…Review: Just One Year
Sounds like a very good book!
Definitely I plan to read :)
Thanks for the great review!
Sounds awesome can’t wait to read it!
I plan to read this book so far from the review the book looks really good I would recommend this book to anyone