House Rules

This is possibly the best first book I have ever read from any author. It's gritty, real, and smacks of first hand experience. Yes, it's disturbing, yes it stays with you for a long time, but to be honest, I read books to transport somewhere outside of my own experience, and this did it, so effectively. I am sad she is not able to write more. Be prepared to be disturbed...

This novel was recommended to me by a friend who swore I would not be sorry if I read it. I was not sorry. I read this novel during a time in my life when I needed a new outlook and I got it. Even if the only thing that one is able to take away from the novel is to feel like your life is not as bad as Lee's then the book is a success. Heather Lewis writes in a way that no other author writes. The book is almost completely devoid of descriptions of color and scenery. Everything is seen through the eyes of a drug addicted fifteen year-old, it is a terrifying experience. I am an avid reader and I don't think I have ever been in the head of a character quite like I was in Lee's head. You know what she is thinking before she thinks it, you know what she will do before she does it. If you ever wanted to see the dark side of humanity this is it. I have not been so horrified since John Updike's Rabbit Run or Train Spotting. I would read it again, but I am still too traumatized. If you want a taste of the wild side of life without risking arrest, this is the one.Heather Lewis also wrote one other novel, The Second Suspect. I have heard rumors that the author is no longer with us, so it looks like these are the only works we will have. Simply amazing.

this was a truely disturbing work of fiction.it starts off as and seems to be headed for an innocent dramafest.but slowly(not too)it starts to heat up without you really noticing.then youre shocked out of your shoes.and once it shocks you,it doesnt let up.this is one heck of a debut.ms lewis really brings her traumatized charactors to life and it is a grim one.im not sure what made me read this in the first place,nothing outwardly suggested what i would be installed for.all i got from storyline was a troubled teen trying to make it on her own among some friends on a horse ranch.it mentioned drugs and violence.still,that shouldnt have been enough to get me interested.but i thought ''what the heck''.now i find myself looking for her next book everytime im in a bookstore.this is a very graphic novel and wont be for everyones taste.but it will move you and keep you reading.if you happen to be reading this MsLewis,please hurry with book #2.i cant imagine what premise you can have in that one.

This was an extremely disturbing and absorbing book. Some scenes were so well written that they seemed to scream out to you from the pages. The main character, a fifteen year old girl trying to escape from an abusive father, is both innocent and cynical. She'll do anything to belong SOMEWHERE, even if it means allowing others to abuse her. She knows what her life is, but is addicted not only to the drugs provided by her "friends" but also to belonging to the group and having a purpose beyond being her father's sex toy. For many victims of past abuse, this may be a story too realistic to read with any level of comfort, but it is an important work and one that draws you in until you are totally immersed in it's story. I guarantee it will keep you thinking long after you've turned the final page.