Hate List

Got this book because I thought the description was really interesting and I love books like this. It took me months to finish the entire thing because it got to be too much to read sometimes so I’d have to stop and wait a few days before I could continue. But all in all, I give this book a 10/10!! It’s really REALLY worth the read even tho it took me a while!

I am in LOVE with Hate List, it moved me, at some points left me crying and laughing. I really appreciated the insights and in the end I was left sobbing to Jessica’s surprise. For those purchasing it; you really need to buy this, this is something that remains as a trophy in my bookshelf. Praise and hail to Jennifer Brown for a debut and great first novel, even after a decade since first published.

I'm in LOVE with this book. I can't describe it in words but this book took me on an emotional roller coaster. Jennifer Brown is a talented writer with a very vivid mind. I haven't read "Say Something" but I would like to believe the book is fantastic.

It was a good book, but some parts were extremely predictable. On the flip side, Brown did an excellent job at delving into the mind of a teenager who was taken aback by a gruesome attack.

I wasn't entirely sure what to think about Hate List when I first picked it up all I knew was that all the buzz about it said that it was amazing. When I first started the book I was doubtful of this buzz because for me it started off a bit slow. But that slowness what short lived. Before I knew it I was staying up into the wee hours of the morning sheading tears as I rushed to finish this amazing book. Hate List deals with a subject that is sure to strike fear into the hearts of everyone who reads it. Its a book that immediately brings to mind images from other school shootings like Columbine and Virgina Tech. And its those images that help make this book so powerful. But Hate List isn't about the actual shooting its about what happens next. How do you move forward from the horrible events. How do you deal with the fall out? This is Valerie's story. She's returning to school after her boyfriend did the unthinkable and she has to face her role in the events that occurred on that fateful day. Its a wonderful story about redemption and the journey of self discovery. Of learning to overcome some pretty serious issues & events and coming out stronger on the other side. I found all the characters to be believable and was lost in their stories. A few years ago I read Jodi Picoult's Nineteen Minutes, which is also about the after effects of a school shooting. It was a story that I really liked at the time despite its difficult subject matter. But when I compare that book to Hate List, it only seems to scratch the surface of emotions that such an event would bring. Brown has this powerful writing style that takes you to the heart of the matter. This was such a great book that if you haven't read it already then I strongly suggest you run to your nearest bookseller and pick up a copy. Its just that good.

Valerie is alone. Her family tiptoes around her, her friends act like she doesn't exist, and most of the people in the community think she should be dead. Valerie's boyfriend, the person she trusted more than anyone else, shattered her life when he brought a gun to school and wounded several students and killed many others, including himself. Most people believe Valerie was involved, but she had no idea what Nick was planning. After spending weeks in the hospital recovering from a near-fatal gunshot wound to the leg, Valerie is moved to the psychiatric ward for observation. Afterwards, during her many therapy sessions, she begins to think back on her relationship with Nick and all the events that led up to the terrible act that changed an entire community. HATE LIST is an extremely powerful story. I was in tears for the last eighty pages and felt emotionally drained by the time I reached the last page. Jennifer Brown has given us a wonderful example of the importance of keeping a watchful eye out for bullying in our schools. Valerie is a strong character and it was great to witness her healing process. Once I started HATE LIST I couldn't stop. I read every chance I could. Even though the subject matter is very serious, this book was a pleasure to read. Thank you, Ms. Brown. Reviewed by: Karin Librarian

Five months ago, Valerie Leftman's boyfriend, Nick opened fire on their school cafeteria. Six were killed, many were injured, and a whole community changed in less then an hour. Val saves the life of a fellow classmate, but is still implicated in the shooting in the media. She helped make a list of things that Nick and her hated. The very list that Nick used to pick his targets. After a summer of seclusion, Val is forced to go back to school for her senior year. She haunted by the memory of the boyfriend that she still loves. She also has to navigate the rocky relationship with her family, former friend, and the girl whose life she saved. Val must come to terms on what happened that day and make amends with those that she lost and those that are still there. Valerie was an amazing strong character. She has a different personality then most people in that situation. I loved Jessica Campbell. It took a lot of courage to be friends with Valerie, but I think that she found that from being alive. The plot of Hate List is emotional. Full of anger, confusion, and at the end, hope. It was so hard to stop reading at points. Brown crafts an original novel. I liked how most chapters had a quote or a newspaper article in the front. Brown is amazing writer and someone to look for future books. I highly recommend this book, but be prepared to cry.

Jennifer Brown's HATE LIST is about the aftermath of a school shooting, narrated by the shooter's girlfriend and loaded with questions. The characterizations in this YA novel are some of the best I've ever read in any book for kids or adults. The characters, their motivations, and their responses to that awful thing that happened in the Commons on May 2nd all feel so very true and real that I had to keep reminding myself I was reading a work of fiction. This is a story about high school and bullying, about stepping too close to lines and crossing over them. And even though it's also the story of a community's worst nightmare, ultimately, it's also a story about hope. Highly recommended...with a special note for teachers & librarians that this will make one heck of a compelling book club/literature circles choice.