Smashed by Lisa Luedeke

Smashed by Lisa Luedeke
Release Date: August 21, 2012
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 336


Summary: A field hockey star grapples with addiction in this riveting debut that will appeal to fans of Laurie Halse Anderson’sSpeak.

Stay out of trouble for one more year, and Katie Martin can leave her small town loneliness behind forever. She is a field hockey star on the fast track to a college scholarship, but her relationship with alcohol has always been a little questionable. Then trouble finds her. Alec is the most popular guy in school, and also the biggest bully—with his sights set firmly on Katie. When Alec turns on the charm, Katie thinks she must have been wrong about him.

Except that she wasn’t. On a rain-soaked, alcohol-drenched night, one impulsive decision leaves Katie indebted to Alec in the worst possible way. This debut novel is a fast-paced and compelling story of addiction, heartbreak, and redemption.

My Thoughts: For some reason, I thought this book was going to be more of a lovefest than a fightfest. HAHA.

We are introduced to Katie who is a star hockey player. She lives with her mother who is never home and her little brother. Katie likes to party and drink. She also has a best friend named Cassie. She is also great friends with her neighbor Matt.

Katie starts to bond with a guy named Alec. I’m not sure how to really describe him. I never liked him from the get go. I thought when I started this novel, I would be drawn to him. For some unknown reason, I thought he was going to be a bad boy, but one who was good and I'd fall right in love with him. I did not. I knew from the start, he was just flat out bad news.

One night, Katie and Alec get into a car accident and things go crazy from there. Alec feels like Katie owes him and he starts to take advantage of that. He is always around and wants Katie to do exactly what he says. He's very abusive towards her.

Yes, this novel had a great message. It's about bullying, consequences, what can really happen, and how to try and fix it. Things aren't great for Katie. She's in a lot of trouble and she doesn't know where to turn or who to turn too.

This novel is a prime example of how things can get out of hand really fast. You can never really predict the future and that is what makes life so hard.

Katie's life changes, and she knows she must admit the truth eventually and go from there.

Smashed was an ok novel, but just not the right one for me. Yes, the message is there and I finished this, but I couldn't really connect with it, maybe because the novel is such a serious message that I wanted something light and didn't require much thought, I don't know.

Overall: Smashed is going to wow some people. Some people will read it, and think about it for days. Smashed will suck some in with the characters but I just didn't feel the connection like I usually do. Is it worth the read? Yes, probably. Will I recommend it? Sure, especially to people who want to read about abuse and how rough life can be. It just wasn't my kind of novel.

Cover: Like it. The cover drew me in and I had to pick it up.

What I'd Give It: