Bully by Penelope Douglas

Bully #1

     My name is Tate. He doesn't call me that, though. He would never refer to me so informally, if he referred to me at all.

We're neighbors, and once, we were best friends. But then, one summer, he turned on me and has made it his mission to screw up my life at every opportunity. I've been humiliated, shut out, and gossiped about all through high school. His pranks and rumors got more sadistic as time wore on, and I made myself sick trying to hide from him. I worried about what was around every corner and behind every door. 

     So I left.

I spent a year studying abroad and bathed in the freedom of life without Jared. Now I'm back to finish up high school and get the hell out of here forever. I'm hoping that after a year of breathing room, he's moved on and forgotten all about me. 

     But even if he hasn't changed, I have. I'm not interested in avoiding him or turning the other cheek anymore. We're going to go head to head, because neither of us wants to back down.

Another contemporary story that was thoroughly enjoyable. Not anywhere near a typical cutesy lighthearted tale, as the title will imply.

The story of Tatum (Tate) and Jared. Once best friends then when Jared spends a summer away he comes back a cold angry person and chooses Tate as his only target. For years, Tate is sad and hurt by his treatment, but after a year away abroad in France, she comes back not willing to be his doormat anymore.

There are so many great things about his book. And all the bullying tactics are things that happen all the time, I remember high school, it sucked to be the target of a bully.

There was really only one part of this story that bothered me and it was just all the times that Tate got upset at herself for not being door-mat, when I think she should have been more proud of herself for pushing back. Though I'm not what people would call a nice person, but at the same time I was a target for bullying because I am shorter than everyone else. Though that took place more in middle school than high school for me. Either way, while some of the things she said were really harsh, I don't think she (or anyone else) should have felt bad about kneeing someone in the nuts for being groped.

I have the semi-sequel to this book (I think it's the same story told from Jared POV) and I am really excited to read it. There are some scenes of the sexual nature, so if those make you uncomfortable, then maybe don't read it, but other than that this book is really good and the characters behave the way most high schoolers behave, if I remember correctly. I don't know if they act that way anymore, High school was almost 10 years ago for me.... and now I feel old.