Hooked Review & Giveaway

Author: Catherine Greenman
Release Date: August 9, 2011
Pages: 276 (HC)
Most Appropriate for Ages: 14+
Where I Got It: For review from publicist 

Thea Galehouse has always known how to take care of herself. With a flighty club-owner mom and a standoffish, recovering-alcoholic dad, Thea has made her own way in her hometown of New York, attending the prestigious and competitive Stuyvesant High School. But one chat with Will, a handsome and witty senior, and she's a goner—completely hooked on him and unable to concentrate on anything else.

Always worried that she loves Will more than he loves her, Thea is pleasantly surprised when their romance weathers his move to college and Will goes out of his way to involve her in his life. But then, Thea misses a period. And that starts Thea and Will on a wild ride that neither of them could have possibly prepared for.

First of all: while the cover is relevant, I would never read it in public. There's really no hiding what the book's about. MOVING ON.

With Hooked's mostly-likable protagonist and unique subject matter, Hooked was an entertaining read. 

No, it wasn't perfect. My main problem was the way time jumps. For a story about pregnancy, time jumps are needed, yes. But for some reason they felt odd and unnatural to me and it was something that bothered me, as did some other minor writing issues.

Most of my complaints end there though. Thea, while sometimes naive and even a little annoying at times, was a realistic and likable main character. Will was...well, I don't know. I thought he was realistic. I know I keep using that word a lot, but it's the best way I can properly describe the characters and plot. Things weren't sugarcoated and characters weren't perfect, and that was one of the main things I liked about Hooked.

Hooked is a story about teen pregnancy, love, family, and growing up. It didn't make an impact on me, but it was fun and entertaining while it lasted.

Plot: At times it was kind of easy-to-put-down, but mostly it was good.

Characters: Pretty good. Didn't fall head-over-heels for any of them, but I didn't hate any of them.

Writing: Eh. It was Greenman's debut, so the writing wasn't perfect, but I can definitely see where Greenman could become a really good author.

Ending: Good.

Kid Friendly? There was sex. Well, obviously. But I mean like, a lot of it. And some language. 

Should I read it? If you're looking for a decent contemporary that isn't really deep but isn't overly-light either, Hooked is the way to go.

Overall:

And now, I've got a giveaway for you guys! One lucky winner will win their own copy of Hooked. US only, ends on November 7. Fill out this form to enter. Good luck!