Cat Johnson Braves Doll Lil’s Word Association Challenge!

Melinda Sordino busted an end-of-summer party by calling the cops. Now her old friends won’t talk to her, and people she doesn’t even know hate her from a distance. The safest place to be is alone, inside her own head. But even that’s not safe. Because there’s something she’s trying not to think about, something about the night of the party that, if she let it in, would blow her carefully constructed disguise to smithereens. And then she would have to speak the truth. This extraordinary first novel has captured the imaginations of teenagers and adults across the country.

There are some things Melinda describes at the beginning that REALLY hit home to me. At my school we have the two-faced Christians who claim to be all about God and are inviting everyone to church on Sunday. Their moms sell Mary Kay and their daughters are walking advertisements for the product. I have nothing against Mary Kay, but in Jr High? My mom only lets me wear pressed powder and lip gloss but these girls have a entire make-up arsenal in their lockers and know how to use it–eyeliner and all. But, it’s ok that they look made-up and kinda slutty, right? Because they look perfect and say they love Jesus so… it must be ok…right? NOT. What most parents don’t know is that those are the same girls that wear the itsy-bitty string bikini’s to the parties and are the first to suggest a game of spin-the-bottle if there are boys around.*gags:p*

Why am I telling you all this? Well it’s to demonstrate that people aren’t always what they seem and that there is a double standard in schools and it’s not fair. Melinda started a downward spiral after something horrible happened to her. Her grades slipped, she quit taking care of herself, communicated as little as possible and subconsciously retreated from friends, all in what people call a “cry for help”. She was depressed, and even I could see it. But because she is at the age when so many kids and even some adults are focused on their own self interests it goes unnoticed OR comes off as her being emo or anti-social.

No one seems to get it…and when she does finally reach out to someone, no one wants to hear it. Image is everything in school and it doesn’t take much to ruin someones reputation. I think if anything this book shows how bad decisions are made when drinking is involved at a party where as my dad says boys can’t be trusted because “Hormones are raging at that age” and how even today people are hypocritical and two-faced and as my mom says it’s a “good lesson to learn cause the world is full of hypocrites”. It also shows how someone can heal slowly from a really bad event and though, they never will forget what happened that somehow they find healing.

Throughout the book Melinda finds some comfort or “sanctuary” in her art class and there is a really great theme of trees and growth through out the book. In class she is creating a tree for a project, and at home her dad has someone come to cut down some dead branches on a tree. It took me a little bit to understand it all but what I got from it was this…By pruning a tree and cutting off the diseased branches you give the tree a chance to grow bigger and stronger. It’s the same way for life in the sense that if we shed all the bad stuff that holds us back we can move forward and grow.

One more thing I want to add. I downloaded the audio version of this book on Audible and cried. The reader is SO amazing. I felt like I was listening to someone spill their heart out to me and it really touched me. If you can afford it, I suggest getting both the audio and the printed book. Also, I understand that this book isn’t for everyone. Some people will read it and take Melinda’s inner dialogue out of context or miss the sarcasm. For me personally, it’s what made the book feel real, but I’m not so naive that I don’t see that it takes a mature reader to grasp the true message of Speak.

WOW! I think that is the longest review I’ve ever done. I hope you enjoy it and understand what I was trying to say. I want to thank my mom and Noa for helping me with it. Thanks:)

Peace & Love

Day is a dreamer who has never met a stranger. She is fearless and will talk to anyone and read anything! She taught music and dance and was a singer/actress for years, performing on stages both nationally and overseas. Now married with children, she spends less time singing on stage and more time writing songs at home. But, family life has not completely slowed this chick down. She still loves an adventure and learning new things. She resides in Texas with her family, Great Dane (Sophie), Labradoodles (George & Cosmo) and Chihuahua (Juan Carlos).

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