Critics' Opinion:
Readers' rating:
Published Apr 2014
336 pages
Genre: Literary Fiction
Publication Information
Emma Putnam is dead, and it's all Sara Wharton's fault. At least, that's what everyone seems to think. Sara, along with her best friend and three other classmates, has been criminally charged for the bullying and harassment that led to Emma's shocking suicide. Now Sara is the one who's ostracized, already guilty according to her peers, the community, and the media. In the summer before her senior year, in between meetings with lawyers and a court-recommended therapist, Sara is forced to reflect on the events that brought her to this moment - and ultimately consider her own role in an undeniable tragedy. And she'll have to find a way to move forward, even when it feels like her own life is over.
With its powerful narrative, unconventional point of view, and strong anti-bullying theme, this coming-of-age story offers smart, insightful, and nuanced views on high school society, toxic friendships, and family relationships.
"An emotional, deftly paced and heartbreaking first novel. Ages 14-18." - Kirkus
"This nuanced look at a controversial topic will keep readers hooked until its satisfying conclusion and makes great fodder for discussion among high school students." - School Library Journal
"It's to the author's credit that she doesn't make Sara immediately sympathetic, but the end, with Sara moving forward in a way that incorporates what happened rather than denying it, although welcome, feels rushed." - Publishers Weekly
"Horrifying. Satisfying. Remarkable in so many ways. Tease is a brave debut. - Ellen Hopkins, New York Times bestselling author
"Tease masterfully shows that when it comes to bullying, nothing is black and white, no side of the story is the only side of the story, and there are no winners. A compulsive read, and an absolute must-add to all bullying discussions." - Jennifer Brown, author of The Hate List
"Amanda Maciel's timely exploration of bullying pulls no punches. Tease is a bold, hard-hitting and memorable debut that needs to be read and talked about." - Courtney Summers, author of This is Not a Test
"Tease is a book I wish I'd written - shocking, subtle, and emotionally raw." - Katie Cotugno, author of How to Love
This information about Tease was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Amanda Maciel has worked in book publishing since graduating from Mount Holyoke College and is currently a senior editor at Scholastic. She spends her free time writing, running, or riding the subway with her young son. She lives with him, her husband, and their cat, Ruby, in Brooklyn, New York. Tease is her first novel.
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