Tricks
Makayla Pirger                                      12-21-09
English5Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Book Review
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Tricks
There comes a time when you need to ask yourself, how far you will go to survive? The decisions you make throughout your life, especially as a teen, will affect your life forever. There is no going back in time to fix your mistakes, no way to do it over again. The decisions you make in life will be brought with you to your grave.
    Five teenagers, living in different parts of the country, have to make crucial decisions. Each teen, has a different life. Their parents are different, as are their friends, and their situations are far from perfect. Some lives are worse than others, and some of the teens are in over their heads.
    Eden, daughter of her father, also known as the pastor of the church in town, fights to live a normal life. Her parents make many rules that she can’t agree with. No boys, no dating, and definitely no kissing. Eden falls in love with a boy named Andrew, even though she knows it’s against the rules. How far will she go to be with the one she loves?
    Seth, a small town boy, lives and works on the farm. His father is a strict Christian, and his mother, passed away from cancer. Seth has always been loved by his father, but when he becomes confused about his sexuality, that all begins to change. He knows that the church, as well as his father, will reject him. What will his decision be, and how will he live his life after he makes his choice?
    Whitney has always been left out. Her mother favors her older sister, and he daddy lives far away, not visiting very often. Whitney seeks loves from other people, but doesn’t always pick the right ones. When Whitney finally thinks she meets the right boy for her, what will she do, where will she go, and what will happen to the sweet hearted little girl she used to be?
    Cody has always been a big help around the house, but when his stepfather dies suddenly of stomach cancer, he really needs to step it up. Doing everything he can, working a job, raising his little brother, and nursing his mother, Cody needs another way to get some money. How much does he need it, and how low does he sink to get it?
    Ginger probably has it worst of all. Her mother, Iris, won’t be seen as a mother by her six children, each by a different father. She sleeps around for money, barley making enough to supporting her family at all. She makes some extra cash by selling her daughter, Ginger, for sex. Ginger needs to make a choice, what will she do next, and how will she escape her unfortunate life?
    I recommend this book to anyone, especially teens. This book is always interesting, there isn’t one boring minute. This book was hard to put down. Tricks, By Ellen Hopkins, is full of drama and real life events.
