Book: Bad Apple by Laura Ruby

Junior Tola Riley doesn’t care what people say about her. She knows her ever-changing hair color and goth clothes make her an easy target. Whatever. But the latest rumor is different…. The entire school believes she had an affair with her art teacher. The rumors may be a lie, but the fallout is all too real. Will Tola finally stand up for the truth?

With a heroine you’ll root for and a truly relevant story, Laura Ruby has once again brought the authentic teen experience to life for readers who relish dark humor and razor-sharp wit.

Bad Apple is not the kind of book you think you would laugh at. I know I didn’t expect anything funny when I started it but that is exactly what I got. I found myself bursting out laughing at most of Tola’s thoughts and actions. All the crazy ideas she had and the stupid stuff that came out of her mouth was just so funny. And it wasn’t even like she was trying to do it.

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Kait Rose

Bad Apple by Laura Ruby

November 10, 2009 • 4 stars, contemporary, review, standalone • 2 Comments

Book: Bad Apple by Laura Ruby

Rating: 4 Stars

Release date: October 1, 2009 from HarperTeen

From: Publisher

Summary:

Junior Tola Riley doesn’t care what people say about her. She knows her ever-changing hair color and goth clothes make her an easy target. Whatever. But the latest rumor is different…. The entire school believes she had an affair with her art teacher. The rumors may be a lie, but the fallout is all too real. Will Tola finally stand up for the truth?

With a heroine you’ll root for and a truly relevant story, Laura Ruby has once again brought the authentic teen experience to life for readers who relish dark humor and razor-sharp wit.

*****

Bad Apple is not the kind of book you think you would laugh at. I know I didn’t expect anything funny when I started it but that is exactly what I got. I found myself bursting out laughing at most of Tola’s thoughts and actions. All the crazy ideas she had and the stupid stuff that came out of her mouth was just so funny. And it wasn’t even like she was trying to do it.

Bad Apple is the story of a girl who allegedly had an intimate relationship with one of her teachers. And the story is about that but it also deals with so much more. Tola has so many problems with her life. At home Tola has to deal with a depressed and crazy sister and a mother who thinks she’s a liar. At school she has to deal with a former best friend who is now her worst enemy and everyone believing she’s a huge slut. I think I would probably break under all that stress.

The story was just really good. It wasn’t your typical story and it really entertained me and kept me interested. I have always really liked Laura Ruby’s books and this one didn’t disappoint. It’s a great book for teens going through family problems or school problems. It’s got a great heroine who kept me laughing, even while I was feeling sorry for her and her situation. The only thing that was kind of weird for me was Tola’s relationship with Seven. It was just a little odd to me and it didn’t ever really get explained very well. I would have liked a little more elaboration on that but it wasn’t that big a deal for me.

Overall, Bad Apple goes to the top of my recommendation list. It was a quick read that I really enjoyed and think a lot of others will too. It’s on shelves now so go find yourself a copy! =]

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